Slayer of Mahora
by skandergoon
Summary: Based on Kaore Ryu's The Demon of Mahora. If you don't read it you won't understand this story. One of the most powerful organizations in the magical world is after Brent. Show us what you're made of!
1. The Slayer Emerges

A special thank you to Kaore Ryu for giving me permission to write the story and writing the original Demon of Mahora. I don't own Negima. Please enjoy.

/\/\/\

The room was dark. A figure clad in deep blue robes stood, lit only by candles. A similar man stood across the room shrouded by darkness. One with blonde hair that hung above his shoulders, appeared to be 15 or 16. The other, in his 40's with a shaved head and full beard.

"You have done very well to have completed your training Echo. I can't say I'm surprised, even with your... limitations." said the candle lit creature.

"It is an honor to serve the congregation and my duty to follow the doctrine." said the younger of the two.

"Your initiation has passed. Your apprenticeship has passed, and you are a full member of the congregation. Now I assume you wonder why you were brought here."

"Yes my lord."

"The order has expressed interest to allow you amongst there ranks."

"The order of the black sash?" The dark figure said with some excitement.

"The very same."

"Then what is my task? My initiation?"

"Before they allow you to join them, they have a mission of the utmost importance." He said handing Echo a scroll. "Banish one of the last known fire dragons."

"You can't be serious!" He replied.

"Watch your words boy!" The man replied furiously.

He paused "Defiance is a weakness, and dissent is a tool of the demonic to turn humanity against itself." He said sheepishly.

"Good. Never forget the doctrine again."

"I won't my lord." He paused to examine the scroll. "Does the order really trust me with such an objective?"

"They have no doubt. Echo, you are one of the finest slayers the congregation has seen since it's creation, but they still doubt your ability to follow orders when you're not being watched."

"I have spent years studying the doctrine. And even longer training myself for battle."

"And it shows. But many hunters spend half their lives in apprenticeship. You became a master slayer before you even got your... wings. So to speak."

"Please don't talk about my wings Orion."

"Of course. But the order has their suspicions. Complete this and you will gain their trust. This conversation is over. Prepare your weapons and be gone by dusk."

"As a master slayer I will need the ceremonial weapon."

"Of course. Here." He handed him a blade resembling a long needle. "It is my honor to present you with the brotherhoods sacred tool. Expello postulo. The banishing pin. Carry this with you and strike for the congregation. A lesser demon will be banished with a single wound from that. More powerful ones however, require a special spell. Iam ego expello vos non pro deus tamen pro meus cado frater." They bowed their heads. "That stinger blade is no longer a fitting weapon."

"The assassins wore them with pride." He said fitting the pins to the gauntlets on his wrists.

"The assassins fought men of their own species and helped divide humanity. They knew nothing of what was right, and nothing of the demonic world that sieges our own."

"Yes my lord."

/\/\/\

The slayer stepped off a train at his destination. Clad in black fedora, dark green trench coat, and jeans he was anything but inconspicuous.

The scroll instructed Echo to come to a school in Japan. An academy named Mahora. 'Too easy.' he thought. 'My initiation was tougher if _this_ is where the demon is hiding.'

"Excuse me?" He was interrupted by a tap on his shoulder. "Are you lost?" He turned around to face a tall girl in uniform with long, dark hair.

Struck by her beauty it took a moment to reply. "No ma'am. I'm just on my way to do something."

"Like what? This is an all girls school, what on earth are you up to?"

"What?" He said confused.

She paused for a moment. "This is an all girls school, and I want to know what it is you need here."

He laughed a bit. "Well it's very simple you see. I'm under orders from a congregation of magical demon hunters to find and banish a thousand year old demon by way of stabbing it with special silver pins and chanting a special spell, at which point I will hike to the Caucasus Mountains and become a member of a special group of particularity distinguished demon hunters in order gain the respect of an angel." He finished with a straight face.

She laughed for a few moments. "Well... whatever you really need here, stay out of trouble." She walked away.

The boy waved after her. "No promises." He then walked into an obscure alley between the dorms, in moments he was on the roof of the building. He scanned the campus until he saw two people walking towards what was looked like a kendo club. One stood meaninglessly in the side of his vision, but the other had his attention. A boy at an all girls school stood out to him for obvious reasons. When they walked inside, he began to scale down the side of the building and cross the courtyard to the kendo club.

He saw two swordsman battling on the stage. It was the boy and another girl. Both very skilled. The crowd began to applaud. Disappointed to have missed so much of the battle, he approached one of the fighters. "Hey you there." He said heading towards the boy. "That was pretty impressive. Whats your name?"

"Brent." He said rubbing his forearm. "I'd shake but... the hand."

"I see. You don't need your hand to talk do you?"

"I'd love to talk, but for now..." he said looking over at a red haired girl who appeared to filming him. "Someone's waiting for me."

"Well, when you're done with all this I'd like to talk. I'll catch you later." Echo finished walking away. "Lucky bastard."

/\/\/\

Brent approached his rooftop home after the day ready to unwind with some game fuel. He pulled on the door as the deadbolt rattled to no avail.

A voice came from his room. "It's locked... but I guess you already knew that. I could unlock it, but I'd rather ask you a riddle."

"That's _my_ room. You locked me out of _my _house, and now you want to ask me a riddle? I don't even know you."

"True. True. But take my word for it you'll have fun."

Brent sighed and bowed his head. "Alright shoot."

"A man is found shot in room with a table, four chairs, and 53 bicycles. Why did he die?"

Brent paused. "Why are the bicycles there?"

"Only yes or no questions."

"Um..." He sat confused for all of 20 minutes. "I got it! Bicycle is a company that makes playing cards. So he was playing poker and had an extra ace right?"

"Wrong." The door opened to reveal the man in the trench coat from before. "He got shot. That's why he died... bullets hurt... badly. Want to come in?"

Brent paused. "Now seems as good a time as any to remind you that that's my room."

"Aren't I just the most charming guy you've ever met?"

"Why not? What did you want to talk about?" He said as the two walked inside and sat on the couch.

"Why are you a student here? I heard from a reliable source that this is an all girls school. I could be mistaken but you look like you've got some y chromosomes in you.

"Funny you should say that." He said smiling. "I've got a few of those. But they told me I'm part of an experiment to make the school co-ed."

His mouth hung open now. "Last time we spoke I called you a _lucky bastard_." he said with finger quotes. "I guess I didn't know the half of it."

"I haven't been called lucky in awhile."

"Well then. Have a nice day." Echo said with the tip of his hat as he stood up.

"Wait. Whats your name?"

"They call me Echo."

"Okay. But what's your name?"

"All in good time my friend." He walked back outside.

/\/\/\

The next day, 3-A was preparing for class when the bells rang signaling the day to begin.

As the last of the papers shuffled Negi began class with announcements.

"Listen to this everyone! In addition to Brent as part of the co-ed experiment, a second male student will be here in class with us." He motioned to a boy sitting the corner.

Slowly he stood up, trying his best to appear tired and generally displeased. "It's a pleasure to be here. Can I go to bed?" He said quietly.

"C-class just started..." Negi stuttered.

"So... no?"

"No. Would you like introduce yourself?"

"No."

The room fell silent as the new student stared at the teacher.

After about of minute of staring Haruna broke the silence. "Weren't you the guy at the train station yesterday?"

"Yes. Weren't you girl from the train station two days before tomorrow?"

"I think so... yes. Anyway, you never told me your name."

"You never told me yours."

"Saotome Haruna."

"Don't you dare say your name is echo!" Brent yelled from the back of the room. The room burst out in laughter.

"Well, as you may have guessed Echo is _not_ my name. It's Ethan."

"What about your last name?" Negi said.

"No idea. I want to pick one myself, but I cant come up with a good one."

"You don't know your last name?"

"Nope. None of my old friends, so to speak, know their last names. We were never told who are parents are or anything to that effect."

For a moment the class was stunned. "Really?"

"Of course I know my parents. And I obviously know my last name, even though I have since changed it. It's Domandepace."

"So you just don't tell people your last name?"

"Not usually. It's kind of a pain, so I skip it and hope people stick with Ethan. It doesn't usually work out." Finally he took his seat near the window and class began.

/\/\/\

Class had ended and Ethan had already left the room to head to his new home in the basement. Before he closed the door he heard a knock, he paused and opened the door again. "Can I help you?" Ethan said.

"I'd like to talk to _you_ this time, also in the interest of fairness I'm not giving you a choice." Brent said.

"Fair enough. This way."

They walked inside, and sat on some torn up chairs.

"So, nobody told me a second male student was coming. Why is that?"

"Kind of a last minute decision on the principals part."

"How last minute?" Brent said suspiciously.

"Overnight. I've actually had a little connection with the guy for awhile, and he owed my father a favor. I was already coming to Japan on business so to speak, and my father offered me up as one of the principals guinea pigs for a co-ed experiment. I naturally accepted."

"Worked out for you pretty well?"

"Seems that way."

"Well... wait you didn't even know about the co-ed experiment until last night. How did all this happen in that amount of time?"

"Unsure. But, it happened."

"Sure. Well as long as you're here, don't get in too much trouble, agreed?"

"Haruna said the same thing to me yesterday, so I'll tell you the same thing I told her. No promises. Have a splendid day." Ethan said motioning to the door.

Brent got up and walked to the door. "Splendid?"

"Yeah, I feel pretty unclean about that one. Peace."


	2. A Glimpse of the Demon

I do not own negima.

/\/\/\

Darkness. The power was out all over campus for maintenance so Ethan sat alone reading by candlelight. He yawned and took a minute to review the class roster Negi kindly provided of copy of. He covered their names and tried to remember them all.

"Ayaka, Chisame, Chizuru, Sakurako, Konoka... and... Fuck I'm bad with names." He said to himself.

He set the roster back down and headed for another book when his window rattled threatening to break. He walked over to find a piece of trash hit it, in the corner of his eye he noticed a maid tied to a flagpole. Strange to say the least.

He got his coat and headed over. "Yuna?" He said confused. Just then he noticed Makie tied to her as well. Yuna woke up.

"Oh hey Ethan." She said strangely cheerfully. "You wouldn't mind untying me would you?"

"Oh sure. Hang on a sec'." He set to work on the knot. "How did this happen if you don't mind my asking."

"Oh it's a long story. By the way, when you untie us you should come with me, Evangeline needs your help. But not like this."

He finished untying them. "What's that mean?"

"You're not any good to her like this." She said bearing her new fangs.

"What now?"

Yuna pounced on him and went for his neck. "What the hell?! Back up!" No response, so he planted his foot on her chest and shoved her away. The two got on their feet and without missing a beat she charged back at him. He pushed on her shoulder to turn her around before slamming his elbow down on the base of her neck. "Sorry Yuna." Once again the two were unconscious and tied together. Ethan painted his face black and leaped to the rooftops to find Evangeline.

After a few minutes a searching aimlessly he heard something certainly worth mentioning.

"**STOP IGNORING YOUR ELDERS DEMON!" **Came Evangeline's voice.

"That's a green light if I've ever heard one." He sprinted to the edge of the roof. "Evangeline! Whats all this about a demon?"

She continued to stare at Brent.

He followed her gaze. "You. Is it true what she says? You're a demon?"

Brent looked and almost whispered back "I am. What do you want?"

He extended the foot long pin from under his wrist. "By order of Fratenity Terran Angelus, you are to be destroyed, and your influence rejected, monstrous hell-spawn."

"You say I'm a monster? The one who lived among humans for thousands of years? I am the monster when compared to you, a member of some disconnected group of self righteous murderers seeking violence for profit and pleasure?"

"Rant all you like. I know I'm doing what is truly good, and I know that you have spent centuries slaying humans for greedy purposes, you die now. And Evangeline!" She looked. "I won't let making a slave of the students go completely unpunished."

Evangeline scoffed and snapped her fingers. Hundreds of creatures dressed as maids surrounded Brent. "Chachamaru, take care of the pest on the roof."

"Yes master."

She jumped to the rooftops and immediately rocketed toward Ethan. He tried to hit her with an ordinary front kick, needless to say it failed. She dodged right, Ethan spun and threw an elbow, and continued into an ax kick. She backed up and took a stance. Chachamaru began to speak "My master would also like me to identify you. Whats your name?" She said emotionless.

"I don't like telling people my name. Whats yours?" He said sarcastically.

Chachamaru instantly leaped around Ethan's back and tried to strike the base of his neck before catching an elbow to the chin. Before she turned her head back to keep an eye on her prey, Ethan drove both palms into her chest and she flew into the sky. "Sorry! I'll make it up to you even if you don't know it!"

On cue she flew back toward Ethan, he braced for a side kick. "I am so sorry for this." He kicked with enough force to push her into to roof and trap her under rubble. The next second he was after Brent.

He walked back to the overlook where he last saw Evangeline and Brent, he arrived to find a fantastic display flailing swords finely slicing puppets and dresses. He stood in awe as Brent struggled through puppet claws digging into his flesh, until he dropped to the ground.

Ethan prepared to pounce "You've done well, be proud and burn in peace." Brent burst into a maelstrom of smoke and fire, as it cleared he appeared to be reborn. Not just a man in a coat and mask, but an elegant creature standing like a human with black scales and wings wreathed in flames. Ethan took a seat and watched the dragon exude fire in beautiful shapes. His style was certain and refined, he no longer took killing it lightly. Ethan sat starstruck for a few more moments until lights flickered on across the campus. Fearing discovery he dove into the shadows on the rooftops and slithered back to his room in the basement of the dormitories.

/\/\/\

All night Ethan tried to find who the burning figure could be posing as. "Judging from the voice we know we need to find a man. That's all we have." He said reminding himself, without suspecting Brent. He checked the clock and headed to class where he would stare out the window and continue solving the problem.

Negi broke his concentration for a moment. "Ethan can you translate this line for us?"

Without standing he shifted his eyes forward "That means beggars cant be choosers."

"What does that mean?"

He sat back in his chair and looked forward. "I think it means you should be grateful if you receive a gift and have little or no right to criticize it negatively, if at all."

"That's a very enlightened view, thank you Ethan." He said as a teacher generally would, probably to act more mature.

"Um, Sensei? For your own benefit you don't need to talk like you're another teacher in the thirty to fifty demographic, we're all very aware that you're ten."

The class laughed as Negi returned to the lesson, blushing.

Misora whispered to Chao "What do you think of that guy?"

She looked at him and smiled "He's kind of a smart-ass, I can appreciate that."

/\/\/\

**Two days later**

Ethan, without a lead on the demon, decided to call an outside source for help. The congregation asked him to only go for help as a last resort, but Ethan was impatient with these matters.

"Negi? Are you there?" He said knocking on the door.

"Oh Ethan. How can I help you?"

"This is a bit... personal. Are Asuna and Konoka here?"

"No, they left awhile ago."

"Then may I come in?"

"Of course."

He walked in and sat down, Negi followed and sat across from him at the small table in the middle of the room.

"So I hear you're a mage. That's pretty cool." He began casually and as though he hadn't just revealed an incredible secret. "I'm a demon hunter myself."

Negi sat with his jaw open and his eyes looking extremely worried.

Ethan decided his fear was a response. "Yup, sent all the way from Russia to kill a dragon. Which brings me to you. You, being as familiar with magic as you are, may be able to help me. I would really appreciate that if you would."

"H-how did you know I was-"

Ethan interrupted "The congregation, the people that sent me here, told me as a last resort I could go to you. This isn't a last resort of course, but I think this whole situation could be resolved much faster if I got a few people together. So do you know anything about a demon, or a dragon, or anything suspicious?"

Negi knew about Brent "No." He said tensely "I never heard anything about those sorts of things. Why would I know anything?"

Ethan glared "You're acting very strange. Almost like you're lying." Negi cringed "Just giving you a hard time Sensei! I'll see you later." Ethan knew he was lying, but also that no good would come from continuing to pry information from him so he decided to carry on with the investigation alone. He entered the light of courtyard for a walk to help him think. "So our only outside informant is useless, my only lead on the demon is it's voice, and we need to find it in the middle of a campus the size of a FUCKING CITY!" he screamed for all to hear. "Shit." He said propping himself up against the railing over the terraced courtyard. He examined the landscape, everything was beautiful from the students to the treeline to the buildings. "Well." He sighed. "I couldn't have picked a better place to scrutinize, and brood over if I tried."

"It's not healthy to talk to yourself." Said the Narutaki's distinctly harmonizing voices.

Ethan turned around. "Well hello there. Do you always eavesdrop on people who are slowly, but surely losing their minds or is this just a one time thing?"

"I'm sure we'll hear quite a bit about you if you verbalize what you think _that_ loudly." Said Fuka.

"Whatever." Ethan said turning back to the rail. The twins stood next to him. "So what are you guys up to?"

"The walking club." Said Fuka.

"What do you do in this 'walking club'?"

Fuka and Fumika stared at Ethan. "I hope you're kidding." Said Fumika.

"I am. I assume you walk around, talking about things relevant to your interests. One of my favorite things to do."

"It's not too late to join." Fuka said,

"Why yes I think I will- What the fuck is this?"

"What?" The two said together.

"Over there." Ethan said pointing to a group of high school students.

"Leave us alone!" Yuna cried, obscured by the group of upperclassmen.

Ethan vaulted over the rail onto the lower level. "I won't have it. Nope. Not here." Ethan walked around the highschoolers to get between the two groups, Brent was already helping Akira and Yuna to their feet after the highschoolers undoubtedly knocked them down.

"Hey who are you moron? This is an all girls school, what are you doing here interrupting our fun?" The supposed leader shouted at Brent. "Even if you are kind of cute."

Ethan walked in. One of the highshoolers squealed. "Wow another cute guy."

Ethan looked over. "Who are you to be teasing my friends? Just because you have the mental depth and emotional warmth of a teaspoon doesn't give you the right to be a burden on all of us."

Eiko stepped forward. "What did you say?"

"I said you should bury your head in the sand and wait for your tedious existence to shower you meaning and praise because you won't get any from us."

"Well what are you going to do? How are you going stop us?" Eiko crossed her arms and the girls behind her cheered.

Ethan shrugged "Nothing. My code of honor states that I can't harm a woman. In fact were you in danger I would be obligated to help." The highschoolers all laughed. Ethan waited for them to finish. "However if you were to, say for example, fall from a very high place like the clock tower there wouldn't be much I could do to help would there?" Ethan chuckled darkly and turned around. "Are you guys okay?"

"Yeah, we're fine thanks to Brent." Yuna said, tears still in her eyes.

"I'm glad to hear that. What should we do now?"

"Getting rid of those girls comes to mind." Brent said in an irritated tone.

"Ignore them." Ethan said waving his hand.

"I have been... so far."

Eiko got tired of being ignored for all of ten seconds. "Why do you to care so much about those babies? They're worthless and flat!" She said walking forward.

Brent got sick of it, turned around, and took a fighting stance. "Take one more step and I will have to make you leave by force."

Without a sound Ethan half turned and shifted his eyes menacingly to the highschoolers with one open palm forward at his waist. "You'll have both of us to deal with I'm afraid."

Eiko stopped and laughed. "What happened to not hurting women?"

"You were hurting my _friends._ I give their safety priority over yours." He said calmly.

Negi began running to intervene. "How dare you pick on my girls! I'm their instructor! Don't make me angry! You... you wouldn't like me when I'm angry."

"Sensei's dead." Makie whispered.

"Looks like." Ethan whispered back.

Ethan and Brent stood still for the silence that followed.

As the highschool students mobbed Negi, Ethan sighed and dropped his stance. "Should we help him? I'm gonna help him."

A shout echoed in the distance. "Yo! Girls! Go take a cold shower!"

'This is gonna become a battle.' Ethan thought, getting back into his stance.

The two groups yelled at each other incoherently for a moment before they began to charge at one another. "Fuckfuckfuck." Ethan mumbled before charging into the riot, arms outstretched, keeping the highschoolers back.

"Get out of the way!" One yelled at him. He responded by shoving them all back and charging forward again to keep them at their current proximity from his class.

Before they knew it, Takahata showed up to break up the fight. "Do you think this is really appropriate? Shouldn't be a bit more mature in front of the middle schoolers?" He said in his usually calm manner.

The highschoolers stepped back. In the center of what was once the fight, Brent helped a highschooler to her feet. "Uh... Sorry sir."

He shook his head. "I can't have my students fighting here, current or otherwise. Now whatever the problem is I'm sure you can find a peaceful way to resolve it." Without another word he left them to their business.

Ethan left upon the mention of dodgeball, he went to his favorite sun baked rooftop to start examining any evidence he may have overlooked. "Takamichi? No his voice isn't quite right." The demon nor the teacher had adjusted their voice so if they didn't match, neither did the person. "Negi? No, and I don't think I need to qualify that statement either. Brent? Nah, he really loves those girls, can't fake that." He noticed Brent on an adjacent roof punching a wall, probably to build calluses or resistance to pain. "Can you?"

As Ku Fei emerged onto the roof he ducked so as to seem a little less like a stalker. He lazed in the warm sun, staring into the bright blue sky until a wayward volleyball broke his concentration, and possibly his nose. He held it and sat up rubbing away the dull pain.

Across the roof he saw two classes who had seemingly appeared. Asuna spoke up. "Ethan! Can we have that back?" She said.

He waved and threw it back. As they returned to their game, he casually dropped the 8 feet from his perch onto the rooftop court. Nobody noticed. Again he was thinking about nothing, this time watching from behind the highschoolers court.

He snapped back to attention when Brent's voice boomed furiously. "Now beat it before I let you have another taste!" He had sent Eiko flying with a punch of some type, Ethan instinctively caught her as she held her jaw and groaned. "Brent. That was a _little_ excessive don't you think?" He propped Eiko up to her feet, and walked up to Brent before she kicked a ball at the him. Ethan caught it and threw it back at her face with enough force to knock her to the ground again. "Never mind. She completely deserved that."


	3. Battle for Kyoto: Day 1

I do not own negima

/\/\/\

It was long awaited day where class 3-A was bound for Kyoto. Ethan had arrived at the train station early to be alone as he often did. He had spent the last hour playing his guitar and was understandably caught in a musical trance. It naturally shocked him to hear a quiet applause when he finished his piece.

"Ethan-san, I didn't know you played guitar. That was pretty good." Haruna said pleasantly surprised.

"Oh well... Thank you." He smiled. "How long have you been listening?"

"Well, me and a couple others have been listening for about three or four minutes." A group waved from behind her.

"I- I think you guys just made my day."

"Do you know any others?" Asked an excited Sakurako.

"Yeah, hang on a sec-" He was interrupted by a strange, ethereal voice.

"Echo... Oh Echo..."

"Hello? Did someone call my name?"

Everyone was confused. "No... I didn't hear anyone." Said Haruna

"It's me Echo, Araghast."

He ignored it. "This is Niccolo Paganini's Fifth Caprice."

He began to play but the voice broke his concentration, or lack thereof. "Don't be that way Echo. I went to all the trouble to contact you from the afterlife." He started over and played until the voice said the one thing he couldn't simply ignore. "I saw Natalia today. She seems so... lost without you."

He set his guitar down. "Could you watch my guitar for a second? I need to get something before we go." He ran out of the station to meditate in peace. "What is it Araghast? Is it that time again?"

"It's been 94 years since our last meeting."

"I was enjoying my time without you."

"I'm sure you were. However you don't break tradition, and our tradition is I come to make your world hell every century or so. I'll cut to the chase seeing as you're tapping your foot in that impatient way you do." Ethan stopped as he realized he was doing just that. "I'm waiting for you in Kyoto. I hope you don't mind the spell I put on you."

"What spell?" Ethan said with apparent hostility.

"If you'll look at the clock... or even the sun you'll see it's two hours later than it should be. Don't worry you're right on time for the second train." He opened his eyes to see the sun strangely low in the sky. "I've taken the liberty of separating you from something very special. I'll give it to you, but first you need to do a few things."

"I don't work for people like you. What's stopping me from just banishing you again?"

"The fact that I just jumped you two additional hours ahead. Mind you're manners Echo, as this is the last train before tomorrow. Go about your business as usual, and I'll see you soon."

4 hours had indeed passed. "Son. Of. A. Bitch."

/\/\/\

He arrived at the hotel late that night. Everyone was asleep. Without a key the his assigned room, he slept in the lobby.

**Dream Sequence**

He could hear the sound of his own breathing. This was a particularity strange occurrence for someone being in the center of a busy town square in Russia. Peoples feet and horses hooves collided silently with the streets.

"Beautiful isn't?" Came the voice. Time froze with an overwhelming gust of wind. "Do you want to see her again?"

"Fuck you." He said through clenched teeth.

"She's just across the road. You can see her if you like, what a shame you'll never do anything beyond that." The crowd split, and He could see himself. He hadn't changed a bit from his coat to his hair. He held the hand of a young girl.

Ethan forgot to breathe and looked away. "We all die sometime."

"Oh I know. We both know how many die at age 7 under her circumstances." The city shifted and was standing next to the two crossing the street. "It would have been such a story too. Little orphan girl with nothing becomes a heroic demon slayer. You become a celebrated congregation member. And Araghast, last of the Animus Mortis, dies." The world shifted again, this time he stood over a grave marked 'Natalia Voshnik'. "But instead she dies, you are shamed and held responsible for the end of a slayers bloodline, and I go free."

"You have no idea how many lines you just crossed. I will spill your blood before this trip is over." He said, his face red with anger.

"You had no right to do what you did Echo. Awaken, worm."

He woke up before anyone else. Someone had just walked out the front door. He ran into the street. Again and again he rounded corners only to see the coattails of who he presumed was Araghast. He heard a whistle from the rooftops, where a man stood. "We're all alone now Echo." He said below his greasy hair, long unkempt beard.

"You said you wanted something from me."

"I did." He began to pace.

"In case you forgot, the last time we met I poisoned you, beat you, shot you, stabbed you, and drowned you."

"Lightning never strikes twice."

He chuckled. "Lightning has struck in the exact same place not twice, but four times. It's like you said, don't break tradition."

"1916 was still my victory. Yes, a bloodline of slayers ended by me. One slayer who will never reincarnate. It was inevitable. That stinger blade can't banish me forever."

"No." He said extending sacred pin. "But this can." He jumped with intent to kill.

Araghast smirked and evaporated.

Ethan continued to fly for another 150 feet. When he landed, Araghast was waiting smugly. "Temper temper."

He took a breath. "What do you want?"

"The people who were kind enough to release me asked me one favor. Retrieve Konoka Konoe."

"This is where I would ask why, but I don't care. You can't have her."

"Go through this logically. You help me with this single matter. We go our separate ways with no further trouble from me. As a bonus I could tell the aforementioned friends about your assistance and they give you a protege. A servant."

"A slave?" He said aggressively.

"You were always so quick to violence. Cursed with a one tracked mind. It makes no difference, with or without your help we will triumph." He faded into black smoke again.

"You'll try. I'll just kill you again. With this pin it will be permanent."

/\/\/\

He sprinted back to the hotel and acted sick to stay in bed all day. The moment the coast was clear, he began to stalk Konoka. Hours of nothing passed until the groups reached the fountains at the temple. Everyone drank the water streaming from the roof, and everyone seemed to feel an impairment one does not associate with water. Araghast stood above the temple watching. Ethan shook his head menacingly. The drunken pack was carried to the hotel to sleep. "He won't make a move with that many people around." He said, bound for the hot springs.

He sat down in the farthest corner of the mixed bath. Setsuna walked in causing Ethan to hide with his eyes just above the water, continuing to look away out of respect and toward her out of curiosity.

Before long he began to fall asleep. "Come now. You spent two weeks without rest following me, but a few hours of following pretty girls and you need a fuckin' nap?"

His mouth and nose stayed below the water. "I don't want to hear it."

"Echo, I have a final proposition for you."

"If you come within fifty feet of my classmates, you'll be grease spot in the dirt."

"This isn't about Konoka. I learned from one of my associates that you are in very close proximity to high value target. A dragon."

He sprang up. "I'm listening."

"If you wanted to find this demon and take the bounty on him, I would have no objections. Now that I've told what I have, it's time to tell you what I want. Bring the water from the true love fountain, 30 milliliters stored in a cooking pan. Don't ask why I need this, it sounds like a good trade to me."

"Fair enough. I'll meet you beneath the stage of Kiyomizu temple in ten minutes." He passed Negi and Chamo on the way out of the bath.

He waited for 15 minutes before Araghast arrived. "Here's your water." He said holding the frying pan at arms length. Araghast tried to grab it, but Ethan's almost mechanical grip still held it. "Where's the dragon?"

"You share a common goal. In the end you will walk the same path. Before long he will reveal himself to you, and your choice will be clear... From the look on your face that wasn't what you expected."

"You speak in riddles, and this is no time for riddles. Desist before my hand slips and your precious water becomes food for the earth."

Araghast looked at the antique watch on his wrist. "That should be good enough." He said spilling the pan. "I didn't want that stuff anyway. Tell me Echo, what has become of Konoka in your absence?"

In a flash he jumped over Araghast's shoulders and rammed the pin into his neck. "Where is she?" He whispered.

"No need to be quiet. I've localized a time anomaly. No one can hear this but us."

Ethan drove his palm into the center of Araghast's back with a sickening crack. "Where is she?" He said only slightly louder.

He grimaced from the pain for a moment before he grabbed Ethan's forearm. "Gott, macht mich stark fur der kreig vorne mich. Er musst brent!" Ethan's forearm burnt in a blinding white light. He instinctively leaped backwards, and examined his frayed and singed coat. Only minimal scars blemished his skin.

"You were always tough. What a shame we never saw eye to eye."

Ethan still looked at his damaged coat. "Mad monk, this was my favorite coat." In an instant he drove the spike into Araghast's chest again. He pulled it out and continued to paralyze Araghast with each strike. "Fight back you womanizing drunk!" He swung a rusted claymore at Ethan as if had been waiting for that. To counter the sword, he held his hands out creating a deep red glow. The claymore swung again. At the last second, Ethan held a Guan Dao above his head the block the second strike effortlessly. He kicked Araghast in the chin and lopped off his hand. With 12 inhumanly fast strikes he cut a complex geometric pattern into Araghast's chest. While he was stunned, Ethan placed his hand on the pattern and closed his eyes. "Vindico is hereticus." The wounds widened and Araghast turned pale. Ethan stumbled dizzily for a moment. "When you catch your breath, tell me what has become of my friends." He held the bladed staff to Araghast's throat. "In _great_ detail."

He stood on his knees bleeding but still he spoke defiantly. "I have no idea. Someone else took her, and last I heard she had pursuers so it's expected that she would stray from the plan to protect her cowering ass."

"You mean to say a woman has taken her?"

"Yes."

"If you have anything else left to say then speak your piece." He said with his palm on the blade of his partisan, turning it red.

He laughed. "Geh vorne und toten mich!"

"Why the German? Last time I killed you, you were stuffing your face with cake in St. Petersburg."

"I like German. It's elegant, yet powerful. You'd do well to culture yourself a bit."

"I speak English, Japanese, Vietnamese, Welsh, Dutch, Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian, Chinese, French, Italian, Arabic, Swahili, Spanish, Russian, Latin, Greek, and can talk with African tribesman who communicate by clicking, in addition to German." He said with almost tangible pride.

Araghast looked impressed. "You've been busy. How cruel fate is we never get to talk like this."

The partisan swung down on him and he crumbled like brittle stone. The blade returned to it's normal metallic appearance.

/\/\/\

He had spent 10 minutes leaping across rooftops and temples trying to find a sign of Konoka. He zeroed in on a train spewing water from every window, made all the more strange by fleeting glimpses of an enormous monkey in the leading car. He used the partisan to slice through the roof where he found the monkey with Konoka. "Turn and face me demon, that I may render judgment." He said, aiming the partisan.

The monkey turned around revealing the face of a woman within it's abnormally large head. Obviously just a costume. "Another joins the fight?"

"Release her, or suffer the fury of a pissed off blood scribe." He pulled up the remaining sleeve on his left arm revealing three geometric patterns branded onto the inside of his forearm.

Chigusa prepared a magical seal to fight. "Whatever you want her for boy we have bigger plans." She threw the paper and Ethan was thrown into the waterlogged door in a gust of wind with massive force. When he shook off the impact he saw three freshly spawned demons. Another monkey, a minotaur, and a dog.

"Is that it? You brought this on yourself." He raised the partisan to a fighting stance to find the cramped train limited it's use. "Oh shit." The three demons charged, Ethan shoved the partisan into the minotaur's stomach and shoulder slammed it in the head. As the partisan left his grasp, it shattered like glass. Before the demon caught it's breath, he thrust the pin into it's neck. The demon collapsed into a black mist, not expecting the absence of resistance Ethan fell on his side. He looked at the pin with amazement. "Heh, You and me are gonna get along just fine." The dog ruined his good mood by jumping on him and snapping it's blood stained teeth. Ethan grabbed it's neck and began to bleed as it's spiked, wrought iron collar dug into his palm. After short wince of pain he threw his spiked fist into the dog, again it collapsed into smoke with no resistance. Before the smoke cleared the monkey dropped onto his chest and began to slam it's incredibly strong fists into his face. The pin again flew toward the screeching beast, but it was caught and held to the ground. He pulled a dagger off of his lower back and jammed the sixteen inch silver blade into it's back. As it went ragdoll, he lifted off the corpse and swung it away and off of his dagger. In a few moments his vision returned and found Chigusa had left. "I hate monkeys. I hate commuter trains. Vengeance is in order." He said rasping from pain. The train station outside burst into flames. He ran into the blaze without noticing his classmates and teacher on either side of him. In an instant he lifted Chigusa into the air by her throat with his dagger backwards pointing to her eye. Her face was most terrified he had ever seen a creature. "You are too pathetic for words, and I think you're aware of it. Your fear prevents you from facing death with clarity." Chigusa passed out. Disappointed, he layed her on the ground. "In time you will face your fears again. I hope that by then you find your place in this world. Nobody should die without a sense of purpose. Not even you."

/\/\/\

Negi, Asuna, and Ethan met at the hotel to discuss what had happened.

"Thanks for the help Ethan-san." Asuna began.

"I'm sure you would've handled it without me."

"We still appreciate it."

"Your welcome."

"I'm a little worried about your methods. They seem a bit extreme." Negi said.

"Many people think the same thing. I'm sorry but seven hundred years of warfare tend to desensitize a man. Before you ask, I am in fact a seven hundred years old demon hunter who has fought in every war of the past seven hundred years. I will now take your questions." He said routinely.

Negi paused for a moment. "You didn't tell me you were that old!"

Asuna grabbed Negi by the shoulders. "You didn't tell me he was a demon hunter!" She turned to Ethan. "Why didn't you bring this up?"

"It never came up... Also you guys are sworn to secrecy now, I don't think I mentioned that to you, did I Negi?"

Asuna stopped shaking Negi for a moment. "Did you talk to Brent-san? He a-"

Negi interrupted. "We thought you two would get along really well!"

"We do. He's a pretty nice guy. That's a bit random to bring up at a time like this."

"Asuna-san, Ethan's here to kill Brent. He was sent by somebody. We need to keep both their secrets or they'll try to kill each other." He said almost frantically.

Ethan stretched out. "I'm sorry to rush this, but now that we've established that all of us are magical and Konoka is OK I'd like to go to bed."

/\/\/\

Translations:

Geh vorne und toten mich = Go ahead and kill me

Gott, macht mich stark fur der krieg vorne mich. Er musst brent = God, make me strong for the war before me. He must burn

Vindico is Hereticus = Punish this heretic

Animus Mortis = Soul killer


	4. Why would you do that?

I do not own Negima

Author's Note: This ones pretty long by comparison to my others. I'm so proud!

Ethan had spent the night reading himself to sleep. Hours of reading and rereading the same handful of passages desperately trying to bore himself until someone knocked on the door.

"Come in." He said on the verge of passing out as he had always been.

Haruna stepped through the door looking excited. "I have good news Ethan-san, I know someone who likes you."

Ethan slammed the book shut and sat straight up. "You have my attention. Why don't you have a seat. Also you could tell me who likes me, that would fun."

She sat down, turned away, and manipulated her glasses. "Hold on. This information is expensive." She said seeming serious.

To respond he seemed equally serious. "How does a man without money purchase such a thing?"

"Time is a valuable thing. A few hours of yours should do it."

"How about tomorrow?" He said.

"Why not today?" She said slightly confused.

He paused. "It's late. Come to think of it why are you still awake?"

She shook her head before looking up at him and smiling. "You've been up all night haven't you? It's almost noon."

Ethan seemed surprised for a moment before accepting facts and bowing his head slightly. "My time is yours."

/\/\/\

The two had agreed at a karaoke bar a few blocks away. As the time to leave approached, he carefully devised his fail-safe plan.

With single minded determination he strolled leisurely to the front door.

"Demandepace-san, why don't you wait with us until everyone else arrives?" Ayaka said.

He turned to her and spoke in completely serious tone and exaggerated a straight face. "I like grape juice." He continued to stare for a few moments, worsening the confusing situation, and left before the silence was broken.

/\/\/\

Several detours and shortcuts later he had made to the bar. Haruna was sitting outside. "Took you long enough." She said jokingly.

"Think about what you just said, by that logic I'm right on time." He helped her to her feet and motioned to the door. "Shall we?"

She began to pull him along as soon as they walked inside, constantly changing direction to keep him off balance and confused. Next thing he knew, he had been thrown into a chair and was seated with Misa, Madoka, and Sakurako. "Ethan-san, glad you could make it." Misa said.

Ethan took a moment to collect himself. "So am I."

"Well, Ethan-san the punishment for being late is..." Madoka began. "You have to sing first!" The cheerleaders announced and pointed in unison.

He got defensive and a bit hysterical. "I- I thought you liked singing, whats all this about a punishment?"

Sakurako laughed before responding. "We do like singing, but we know that don't."

He stuttered for a moment. "What about Haruna? She was also late."

She leaned on the table. "I was only late because I was waiting on you to show up."

He walked indignantly to the stage, grumbling as he walked.

**Lynyrd Skynyrd – Ballad of Curtis Lowe**

Well I used to wake the morning  
Before the rooster crowed  
Searching for soda bottles to get myself some dough  
Brought them down to the corner  
Down to the country store  
Cash em in and give my money to a man named Curtis Lowe  
Old Curt was a black man with white curly hair  
When he had a fifth of wine he did not have a care  
He used to own and old Dobro used to play across his knee  
I'd give old Curt my money he play all day for me  
Play me a song Curtis Lowe Curtis Lowe  
Well I got your drinking money tune up your Dobro  
People said he was useless them people all were fools  
Cuz Curtis Lowe was the finest picker to ever play the blues  
He looked to be 60 maybe I was 10  
Momma used to whoop me  
But I'd go see him again  
I'd clap my hands, stomp my feet trying to keep in time  
Well he'd play me a song or two then take another drink of wine  
Play me a song Curtis Lowe Curtis Lowe  
Well I got your drinking money tune up your Dobro  
People said he was useless but them people all were fools  
Cuz Curtis Lowe was the finest picker to ever play the blues  
On the day old Curtis died nobody came to pray  
Old preacher said some words  
And they chucked him in the clay  
Well he lived a lifetime playing the black mans blues  
And on the day he lost his life that's all he had to lose  
Play me a song Curtis Lowe Curtis Lowe  
I wish that you was here so everyone would know  
People said he was useless but them people all were fools  
Cuz Curtis your finest picker to ever play the blues.

There was a short applause and Ethan spoke. "Can I come down now?"

"No, no. Do one more." Haruna insisted. Ethan pantomimed that he couldn't hear. "Do one more!" She said louder.

He inhaled deeply. "**WHAT?**" He screamed into the microphone for the entire bar to hear. A few moments of waiting for laughs and feedback to subside followed. "What did you want to say?"

"N-nothing." She said trying to stop her hysterical laughter.

"Funny you should say that, also tell me who likes me." He said rapidly changing tone and subject.

The cheerleaders seemed strangely quiet for a moment.

"Sing one more song and I'll tell you." She said after a thoughtful pause.

Ethan seemed surprised and confused. "About that... That wasn't part of the deal." Haruna stood her ground. "Fuck." He said, defeated.

**Firewind – Falling to Pieces**

Be yourself tonight

Don't stress yourself to death  
Don't try to fight the time  
Synchronize your health  
Don't think you'll lose it all  
It all comes back to you  
So get your soul alive  
Things will go on through  
Don't hide behind a dark and empty soul  
Don't lie to yourself no more  
Everything is you  
But you're falling to pieces  
Let me get you through  
I'm falling down with you  
Everything is lost  
I help you through the darkness  
Let me lead you to a place that's calm for you  
Like stormy weather  
You're moving with no goal  
Feeling kind of strange  
Feel you want to growl  
Don't hide behind a dark and empty soul  
Don't lie to yourself no more  
Everything is you  
But you're falling to pieces  
Let me get you through  
I'm falling down with you  
Everything is lost  
I help you through the darkness  
Let me lead you to a place that's calm for you.

Another applause and Ethan took a bow before sitting down. "There's your second song. So... who likes me?" He said slightly excited.

Much more excited was Misa. "Yeah Haruna. Tell him."

She blushed. "Uhh..."

"Come on, just tell him." Sakurako said.

"Err... Nobody!" She exclaimed. "Nobody, I lied." She was uncharacteristically on edge.

Ethan sat down. "You are a strange one. We should do this more often, mostly so I can figure you out."

"T-that sounds good." Her face was still deep red.

"In fact why don't we go for a walk?"

"T-that's ok. You go ahead."

He chuckled. "I'm not leaving without you. That's just not going to happen."

"Actually, can we have a few minutes?" Madoka said with just the slightest irritation in her voice.

Ethan threw his arms up and walked away. As crossed the floor he managed to hear a few words. "What happened to your plan?" Sakurako quietly yelled with surprise and disappointment.

He went outside to give their minute in the company of fresh air. He stared at the sky and breathed. The ethereal voice interrupted. "One day in a pocket dimension? Boring, and entirely ineffective." It said smugly.

He walked into an alley, seeking a quiet place to meditate. "I just wanted to show you that you can't beat me. Frankly I haven't even put much effort into the last few times I killed you."

"I'm invincible as long I have this... thing of yours."

"I want it back. Now."

"Not until I say you can have it."

"And when will that be?"

"When I say so."

"Hurry up and say so. You're starting to bore me." He ceased his meditation and walked into the light. The setting sun bathed the street in warm, golden light. He resumed his meditation. "You did this didn't you?" He asked.

"Hehe. All it takes is a moment, and it may cost you many."

"How dare you quote my own doctrine at me." He hissed back.

"I love these abilities!" He said, satisfied with himself. "Those four women are quite offended you decided to leave them, and all of their friends are angry that you do such a hurtful thing as well."

"There will be no mercy when I get my chance. Mark my words."

"Calm down Echo. I'm just messing with your head."

/\/\/\

He approached the hotel and prepared for the worst. The moment he stepped through the door there was a flash of pain, first in his face and a second one from when his head hit the ground. He looked up to see Brent with his fist where Ethan's head had been a few seconds prior.

"What the hell have you been doing all day?"

He began to stand up. "Presumably I've been standing in the same place for a few hours."

"Is that a joke? You abandoned my friends you bastard."

"Brent, when I get punched that hard the joke is over." He held up his hand submissively.

"You better apologize to Haruna right now."

"That's all I want to do."

He stepped aside, but continued to glare. Ethan walked to Haruna's room, and knocked on the door. The entire time everyone was giving dirty looks. "Who's there?" Came Madoka's voice.

"It's Ethan."

The door unlocked and opened. "What have you been doing this whole time?" She said angrily.

"I've been standing around doing nothing. I know that's a shitty excuse, but I just want to apologize and explain it a bit better."

She sighed. "Get in here."

Haruna, Misa, and Sakurako sat at the small table in the center of the room. Madoka sat Ethan down across the table from Haruna, who's eyes were very red.

"Can we have a few minutes?" Ethan asked.

"Anything you have to say to Haruna you can say to us as well, Ethan-san." Said Sakurako.

He took a breath. "Actually, no I can't" He was very desperate for Sakurako, Misa, and Madoka to leave. His efforts were vain however as they stared at him, silently telling him no. Once again he had been defeated. "I... am 700 years old."

Misa interrupted. "We don't your stupid story Ethan, give us an explanation."

"This stupid story _is_ my explanation." He snapped. "I'm sorry. Please just hear me out... I am 700 years old, and I belong to a group of demon hunters. I was born into it."

"We can't believe you without proof Ethan." Haruna said.

He pulled a small, red book off the chain that hung around his hip. The cover read 'Originis aut Echo VII, Ethan Demandepace' in gold print. "Read that. It should be sufficient proof."

The book detailed the events of a rural road between Rome and Terni in 1306.

/\/\/\

The next chapter is going to be all about that book. It should be up double-quick since I've already written it once before. Thanks for corrupting all my work, Windows.

Originis aut Echo VII, Ethan Demandepace – Origin of Echo the seventh, Ethan Demandepace


	5. Explaination

I do not own Negima

Let's get right to it shall we?

/\/\/\

I, Ethan Demandepace, being sound of mind and body, and being loyal to Fraternity Angelus Terra, verify that this text accurately reflects the circumstances leading to my seventh pact and initiation.

**April 6th, 1306**

Ethan and his mother rode in the back of a simple carriage driven by his father. The sky was overcast, leaving the family silent and dismal, without wind to create even the slightest sound, all was quiet. In any direction was only level ground and fields of farmland. Sitting beside Ethan was an array of sabers that him and his father built for a living.

"There was no need for us to leave, father. We made the best swords in the city, any competition would fail trying to peddle lesser weapons." Ethan said, staring out the back of the carriage towards Rome.

"I've told you before. There's just too many other weapon makers. The city guard want cheap swords to terrify people so they won't have to use them. Quality just doesn't seem to matter anymore." His father said sadly.

"That city is the only place for us. We've lived here all our lives."

His father only sighed. His mother tried to comfort the two. "You will like it in Terni. It is so much like Rome you won't know you've left."

Ethan slouched. "It will only remind of who I'm leaving behind." All were silent after that.

In the road ahead there stood a knight. His armor was a dull iron color that had begun to rust. He had a long beard and greasy hair pulled behind his ears, and stared with extremely wide eyes, gripping a claymore on his left hip. As they drew closer, he motioned for them to stop. When they did the knight came to the side and spoke to Ethan's Father. "There's a fugitive trying to leave the city. What's your name?"

"Federico Demandepace."

He smirked a bit and walked to the side of carriage. He looked at Ethan. "You must be the son. Correct?" His tone was trying to sound inviting, but coming across as malevolent.

"Yes." He said uneasily.

"Perfect." The knight said before drawing his claymore and deeply cutting Federico's chest in the same motion. His mothers eyes widened, but before she truly reacted, the knight swung from the bottom of the carriage, through the floor, and slashed her stomach, still without breaking the swing. The horses that pulled the carriage rode away in terror, without Federico to hold them they broke away easily. Ethan grabbed the sword he had been examining and clumsily jumped from the window. He fell to his knees, scrambled to his feet, and held the sword in defense. The knight pulled the sword and a section of the door out in splinters and jumped over the carriage. Ethan was shaking, the sword was so loose in his hand that the hilt was all that kept it at the ready. The knight calmly walked over and sheared the blade off the handle in Ethan's trembling hand. "What are you going to do boy? Your father can't help you now." He shoved Ethan over and held the sword to his throat. "You should be honored to have seen something so glorious. Imagine, the death of a malignant, self righteous establishment bent on lying the world into a grateful submission." He raised the sword, but before he struck down a third man dressed in baggy blue robes rocketed at the knights chest with a palm strike. In his other hand he held a roman gladius that he promptly forced through the knights head as he hit the ground. He held tight to the sword and swung in an arc to the gravel road, landing on his empty hand, one knee, and one foot. He stood up and pulled the sword out with one motion.

The mysterious savior didn't look at Ethan when he spoke. "I still feel Echo's presence. Perhaps fate still has the ability to surprise me." He said calmly.

Ethan sat on the ground, slack-jawed trying to come to terms with his family's death. "W-who are you?"

He removed his hood. Beneath was a tall man with short, dark brown hair and a neat goatee. "My name is Seraph. And if I am correct, we have met before, brother." He said smiling.

Ethan stood up as tears began to roll down his face. Even so he spoke normally. "You mistake me for someone else. I thank you for saving me, but I must bury my family." He began to walk to the carriage.

"Look at this objectively, brother. It was my failure that your family is dead, but you still live. Moreover, you are destined for great things."

"In time, perhaps I will make something of myself, but all I am destined to do now is give my family their final rest."

"Do as you must. When you finish, I will show you what you are capable of."

Ethan fished a shovel from the wreckage and began to dig. Still, his eyes were wide and soaking in tears. "What do you mean?" He sounded as though he was in a trance from his trauma.

"All will be explained soon. Tend to the dead for now."

/\/\/\

The sun began to set. Ethan's parents were buried and Seraph had not moved, only watched.

Ethan finished a few short prayers and walked to Seraph. "I have used my energy burying my parents, and giving them last rites. I can cry no more. What do you want from me? Why am I so interesting to you?"

Seraph smiled a bit. "You are definitely Echo. Loyal, logical, and you act with single minded determination. That, and your 'aura' so to speak. There is no doubt."

He stared at the ground. "I have not, nor have I met anyone named Echo. My name Ethan. Whoever you are looking for I wish you the best in your search, but I have many miles to walk. Is there anything else you need?"

"I need you to come with me."

"There are people waiting for me in Terni. Unless that is your destination, we must reconsider."

"There is a place for you. A place for us. In Georgia. In the mountains."

"The Caucasus? What on earth is there, and how do you plan on making such a trip? We are miles from any city and without horses."

Seraph began to draw a glyph into the dirt with his foot. "There are other ways to travel." Along with several other complex patterns, symbols, and phrases written into the glyph, it formed an hourglass shape. Seraph stood in one end and motioned for Ethan to stand in the other. When he obliged, a banishing pin sprung from beneath Seraph's robes. He forced the pin into the dirt at the center. "Pro populus amo mihi illic est unus patria orbis terrarum permoveo subter supter mihi quod plumbum mihi illic." He chanted. The lines of the circular glyph began to glow. It grew until the light swallowed the two.

/\/\/\

Somehow the light caused Ethan to pass out. When he awoke he sat in a small wooden house, propped against a fireplace containing a warm crackling blaze. Sitting above it was an iron cauldron of bubbling reddish liquid. It provided the only light as the shutters of the house were closed.

"You're not normal. The circumstances alone should confirm that." Came Seraph's voice. He sat on the other side of the room with a book.

Ethan sat up. "Explain to me what has happened!" He yelled.

He shut the book. "You are sitting at the foot of the Caucasus Mountains. Outside are your brothers to-be. I've taken you here by way of magic. And the man who killed your family is still at large."

His voice still growled with anger, but he kept his voice to an appropriate level. "What do you mean? I saw you kill him."

"In my haste to save you, I forgot that the man who killed your family, will reincarnate if not properly sent to judgment. I can't tell you much more, but I ask that you come with us. To help us."

"Why on earth would I help you? You can't even tell me the truth. Instead you offer me fairy tales and anecdotes!" He said, raising his voice.

"You will learn more in time Ech... I'm sorry, Ethan. You will learn more in time, but for now it is forbidden. All I can offer you is truth, strength, and retribution. You can bring that man to justice if you come with us."

Ethan stood up. "You're a mad man. I have a life to return to. Goodbye." He walked out the door to see a foot of snow at his feet. His breath became clearly visible in the cold and the mountain the house sat at the side of dwarfed everything in sight.

Seraph poked the fire with his sword. "Magic is nothing to dismiss. I have told no lies. Now I ask you, what will you do if you turn away? Your family is dead, you are miles from your home, and you are in a foreign land with strange languages and customs. If you come with us, we will give you wisdom, we will give you strength, and we will make you indomitable." Aloofly, he sat back down with his book. "The choice is obvious, but I can force nothing upon you."

Ethan stared for a moment. He shut the door and sat by the fire. "You speak like you are part a group. What is it?"

"We are Fraternity Angelus Terra. We have defended this world, the human world, since the dawn of man as we know it."

"You can... promise me vengeance?"

"Of course."

He took a moment to think. "I'll join."

Seraph shut the book again and walked to the door. Before walking outside he spoke without turning around. "Your initiation begins tomorrow at sunrise. Meet me on the other side of this house in the village square. Wear only your pants and tunic. Have your fill of the soup in the cauldron, it will be you last meal for awhile."

April 8th, 1306 Ethan began his initiation. A year later he would complete the tree angelic trials. He is now aware of what he is, an angel. He like his masters, brothers, and sisters all recognize that as angels, they are sworn to serve as guardians. We take on the task of slaying the beasts that wish harm upon the mortal realm. This task is dangerous. Suicidal. It is not known how long we can live, as each of us have fallen in battle rather than succumbed to age. We do not seek to strengthen nations, end wars, or solve the differences of man. We only exist to save humanity with or without thanks. So long as we breathe, we will combat evil wherever it shows. If it means we must leave behind a paradise we will do so without a second thought. If it means we must storm into maelstroms of horror we shall do so without hesitation. We are Fraternity Angelus Terra. We are bound and we are sovereign. We are harsh and we are fair. We will deceive and we will illuminate. Whatever the cost, we will see humanity thrive, and evil wither away.

**Present Day**

While Haruna, Sakurako, Misa, and Madoka read the book, Ethan slipped to the window and stared into the night sky. As the book sounded it's closure with a dull bang, Ethan spoke. "I was missing all day because I was having a little discussion with that knight that killed my family. He's back, but now I have the means to destroy him."

The others four were awestruck. "So... can you show us something?" Sakurako asked.

"Like a demonstration?" Ethan said smiling slightly.

The tables occupants brightened up slightly silently asking for a performance. Ethan jumped at the wall to his right and back flipped off, tumbling though he air and landing eight feet away on the opposite side of the table. He leaped into the air again, sprung from the table on his hands, and flew out the open window. About twenty seconds of waiting and the others stood up and headed to the window to see what became of Ethan. Before they reached the window he jumped back up without his coat, an arsenal of swords and daggers took its place. On his back there was the massive partisan that barely made it through the window. On his hip their was a scimitar with an especially long handle. A hard leather brace fit around his stomach, on the back of which there were two Italian cinquedias with their handles facing opposite directions. "These are most of my weapons. I'm not sure what other proof I can provide."

"I believe you Ethan." Haruna said.

Ethan pumped his fist jokingly. "Did I convince you guys too?" He asked the cheerleaders only to discover that they had walked to the door.

Misa began pushing the others outside. "We're going to bed now. See you in the morning guys. Bye." She said extremely quickly, faking an innocent grin.

"Umm... bye. I guess." He said awkwardly. He turned to Haruna again. "So nobody likes me. I have no friends? None?" He said amusing himself.

She started to bite her thumb. "Actually, someone does like you... a lot."

"Who?" He asked.

"God you're oblivious." She said, pulling him by the collar of his shirt. He fell into her lips where she held him for almost a minute. He hugged her around her waist, and she kept her grip on his shirt. When she finally released him, she nuzzled into his neck. "It was me, stupid." She said smiling.


	6. The Persistence of Memory

I do not own Negima

/\/\/\

Haruna and Ethan spent the whole night talking to each other. Well past midnight the two fell asleep, but as the morning sun began to shine into the room Ethan's eyes fluttered open remaining buried in his crossed arms laying on the table. He looked up to see Haruna waiting. "Morning." She said.

"Morning."

She leaned over next to Ethan. "Who's Catalina?" She asked.

"What?" He said, mildly shocked.

"The ring on your right hand. It says 'For Catalina'. Who's she?"

Ethan sat up. "Well let me tell you."

**Flashback**

It was renaissance Madrid. Crowded streets kept Ethan's movement slow, but his destination would be worth any amount of time to see, or so he thought. He broke free from the claustrophobic streets and walked into the alley where the bright afternoon sun had been obscured by the tall buildings and lit his path only dimly. The door to his right led to his only family in 356 years, the family he remembered every second he glimpsed at the ring on his finger, Catalina Demandepace. He walked in. "Catalina! I'm home! Where are you my love?" He said ecstatically. The shutters were closed, strange. Stranger still was that the oil lamps were doused or missing, Catalina hated the dark. Down the short hall, the shutters only let small, but intense rays of sun into the room. The beams revealed the dust that had been recently disturbed. He rounded the corner into the main room where a trail of blood was illuminated by the sun beams, at it's edge was a hand. The body couldn't be seen in the dark. Ethan' arms dropped, for a moment he stared limply before running to the shutters to open them. Every surface was covered in sword marks, chairs and tables were overturned, and on the opposite wall two sabers had been shoved in. From the handles hung red velvet tassels, they belonged Catalina. The table still obscured the body, Ethan walked over to find his wife very nearly cut in half at the stomach. He fell to his knees and held her head in his arms, her long black hair was streaked with blood, and most of the red flamenco dress she wore was torn to ribbons. He began to sob. "Who did this to you?"

Araghast stood in the arch leading to the front door. "I did." He said crossing his arms. "Why aren't you crying boy? Cry me a river, that's what I came to see."

Ethan spoke quietly. He was more concerned with Catalina. "The only reason I would cry you any amount of tears is to drown you in them."

"Fearsome. Is that why your wife is dead?"

Ethan voice elevated and began to tremble further. "Be quiet. If you want a fight then fight me. She didn't deserve this."

"Now you know what it feels like to fail. If you had made it home faster perhaps this wouldn't have happened. Instead you concerned yourself with a leisurely stroll over your wife. You didn't deserve her." He vanished. The smoke that took his place lingered for several minutes in the stagnant air.

**End**

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry Ethan!" She jumped on him squeezed him to comfort him.

"I've come to terms with it, Haruna. It's ok." He said almost confused.

She sat up. "It really doesn't bother you? Someone killed your mother, father, and wife and none of that bothers you?"

"I miss them. I _used_ to be bothered by it. But wishing for their return does no good. They would want me to carry on."

"How can you be so calm about it?"

"I 'unno." He said sounding deliberately stupid. After a pause he continued. "What are your plans for today?"

"Not sure. I'll just go with the group and make my own fun."

"Have fun having fun, _some_ of us have work to do."

"About that... I know it's something you have to do just... be safe" She said seriously.

He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. " I've been at this for almost 700 years now. There's no reason to think twice about what I do."

/\/\/\

As long as he was in Kyoto, Ethan decided to take a moment to relax at a congregation outpost hidden in a local bar. He kept most of his combat gear but set his partisan aside for obvious reasons and hid the rest under his trench coat. Not wanting to arouse suspicion he walked the streets and drank in the scenery. He walked into a dimly lit, but clean bar. Only a few people sat hunched over their drinks, quiet music was all that separated the room from eerie silence. He waved the bartender over.

"What can I get you?" Asked a man in his twenties with short black hair.

"What time is it?"

He gave an answer without checking his watch. "6:06" General observation would put that time off by about 7 hours.

"Then I'll take the special."

**Author's Note: It's a sign and countersign**

The bartender's eyes shifted back and forth before whispering to Ethan. "Go back to the kitchen, head left to the wooden door and go downstairs. The rest should be easy."

After following his directions, Ethan walked heavily down a very old staircase creaking with each step. The tiny amount of illumination came from a hazy yellow glow than struck out from beneath a black curtain at the bottom of the stairs. He stepped through the curtain into a den with fine rugs covering the floor overlapping messily, the presumably concrete walls were hidden behind curtains also overlapping. At the left and right sides of the room, several people in red robes strikingly similar to Ethan's blue ones conjured basic magical spells. An iron dish 3 feet in diameter sat in the middle of the room containing a fire with a man smoking a wooden pipe sitting opposite with crossed legs. The man wore a tattered black gown, and the remaining long white hair on his balding scalp was pulled behind his ears. His face was mostly obscured by the tongues of fire reaching upward. He spoke slowly with a deep, weak, and aged voice. "If there's anything to be said for the congregation agents, they age extraordinarily gracefully." He said lighting a match off the carpet, and moving it to his pipe.

"I'm sorry, have we met?" Ethan said humbly.

He moved the pipe away from his mouth and blew smoke as he spoke. "51 years and you forgot my name? Understandable I suppose, but I pray you haven't forgotten what I taught you."

"It couldn't be." He said with a slight smile.

"It's all coming back isn't?"

"Master Maruyama! I haven't seen you since the American occupation." He said, dropping to his knees out of respect and excitement.

"Well? Did you forget what I taught you?" He cocked an eyebrow.

"No. Not a single thing, sir."

"No need for formalities. Last I heard you became a master slayer."

"1977 yes sir."

He pointed the neck of the pipe at Ethan. "Stop calling me sir or I'll... I'll... what was that phrase you always used when you were my student? I rather liked it."

"Bring the vengeance and anger of a furious Norse god barreling down upon you and terminate you with unmitigated violence and prejudice."

"That's the one." He began happily. "Now stop calling me sir or I'll bring the vengeance and anger of a furious Norse god barreling down upon you and terminate you with unmitigated violence and prejudice!" The two stared for a moment before bursting into laughter. "It's good to see you boy!" He said jovially.

"Sir, I'm here to serve the guest as you requested." Said the bartender peering in from the curtains hanging over the rooms only entrance. "Who's here?"

"Ah, thank you Chokichi. This is one of my previous students, Ethan Demandepace."

Chokichi smiled in disbelief. "Are you serious? This is him?" He ran over to shake his hand. "It's a pleasure Mr. Demandepace. I'm sorry I should probably address you more respectfully."

"You can call me Ethan if you like." He said extending his arm calmly.

Maruyama chuckled a little. "Be nice to my protege, Ethan. He's always comparing himself to you."

"Tell me about yourself Chokichi." Said Ethan.

"Master Maruyama has taken me as his protege to become his successor. I've been training since I turned 10."

"Do you practice everyday?"

"Almost."

"Well train every single day until you're too tired to continue. I'm a master and I still work everyday to get stronger."

"Yes sir."

"Don't tell him that. Now he's going to work himself to death." Maruyama said.

Ethan glared at Chokichi. "Pay attention to what Maruyama says ok? He taught everything I know about elemental magic."

"Yes sir."

A substantial pause followed as the three basked or wallowed in the tangible smell of burning tobacco. "Well Ethan, I'm sure you have a more legitimate reason for coming here. Let's hear it." Maruyama said.

"Yes, you're a highly respected man in the detection and tracking of demons. I wanted to know if you knew any effective methods for finding fire dragons."

"You'll need to do better than that I'm afraid. I need to know some more details."

Ethan reached for a scroll that hung by a chain from the back of his right hip. "The demon in question has been a thorn in the western magical societies side for a long time. Officially they've dropped the bounty on him for his work in world war two, but the congregation picked up the case again and the western mages are offering a reward, all off the record of course."

"Of course. For angels you guys do a lot of work behind peoples backs, but then again I suppose the world isn't ready for something like that."

Ethan sat still for a moment at the comment. "Well, when all the information we have fits on one measly scroll you know we're in for a hell of a hunt."

"Well let me hear it."

"This demon is easily the most powerful I've seen, about 1200 years in age I would guess. From the attributes he possess I've determined he's two thirds dragon and one third shadow demon. When in combat he wears a costume to conceal his identity, logically he hides very near by. For now he's somewhere on the Mahora campus."

"Then what are you doing here?"

"As long as I'm operating at Mahora, the protection of a class containing several important people rests with me... As well as a few personal obligations."

"So you're with that class on the trip?"

"How did you know?"

"The walls have ears, and they report to me. I know everything that goes on in this city. Continue."

"He travels with two associates. I haven't encountered either one. According to this, one's physical strength hasn't been gauged, but is an astonishing death magic user. Name unknown. The other calls himself Falco. Not very mature or bright, I've found reports of his 'accolades' all over the place. Some say he's a strong fighter, others think he's average, overall from the descriptions he doesn't sound tough. Although, he's fond of enchanting modern weapons, so I plan on taking him at close range."

Maruyama stroked his beard. "Hmm. What can you make of their personalities?"

"Like I said, that Falco character isn't too bright, probably no older than five hundred judging from his immaturity. The death magic user is 'collected and reclusive.' That's all the scroll says. The big target, from what I can tell, acts more or less like a young adult. Mature, but not above relaxing or enjoying himself. A kind of warm water to his friend's fire and ice." Maruyama dragged on his pipe, seeming deep in thought. "Well?"

He removed the pipe from his mouth. "You underestimate their ages. I'm not sure exactly how old, but they've entered a stage in their life where they crave normalcy and a permanent home above warfare or combat. Every demon goes through this stage."

"Even Falco?"

"Even him. They share a bond or a goal. Something deeper than wealth or power, like they have something to protect. Tell me, do you need to find all three of them?"

"Yes."

"Well, Falco would be found somewhere that he can train and test his skills, think wide open places where nobody's around to bother him. The death magic user, he'll be by himself obviously, drowning himself in scotch or burying himself in a book, so bars and libraries. As for the dragon you're looking for, I can't say for sure. Look for someone sociable and charismatic. Someone who can rile up a crowd doing something insignificant, like betting how much soda he can drink. **(Author's Note: See what I did there?)** But as for probable locations, I really can't say. However because of the link they share if you find one, the others should come running as soon as they catch wind of the danger."

Ethan stood up. "Thank you very much Maruyama. How'd you figure all this out?"

"Psychology. As much as we like to distance ourselves from demons, we are very much alike. What was that other thing you always said?"

"Do not hate your enemy, instead understand him. Hatred blinds you to reason and logic. Without these critical tools, victory against a strong or intelligent opponent is impossible."

Maruyama paused in surprise. "How do you remember these things? You're older than me and your memory hasn't even started to slip. It isn't fair I tell you." He finished, dropping more tobacco in his pipe.

"It's something I've always taught to my apprentices. Again thank you very much master, I've never been closer to finding the demons. Until next we meet friend, take good care of your students." He began to walk outside before Maruyama stopped him.

"One more thing Ethan." Ethan turned to look. "I know you don't want to hear this, but I think Natalia died because you underestimated Araghast, don't make the same mistake again. I don't think you can take another loss like that."

The color flushed from Ethan's face. Chokichi spoke up ever so quietly. "Lord Demandepace, from what I understand only You, Master Maruyama, and Araghast know the story of Nata-"

"Yes. And so it will remain." He snapped.

"Ethan!" Maruyama barked. "You still acknowledge me as your master. Now as your master I order you tell the story of Natalia Voshnik. For me, Chokichi, these congregation members, but mostly _you_ to hear."

"Why me?" He said with an angry and defiant tone.

"It seems you want to forget about her. I won't you forget something so important. Gather around everyone, Ethan's going to share a story." The congregation members at the side of the room stopped and moved towards Maruyama.

"Like hell I am." As he turned towards the curtains over the door, Maruyama extended his arm and pointed the neck of his pipe at the the curtain. A short bolt of light shot from the pipe and into the curtain, turning it to stone. "Fine." Ethan sighed. "Natalia was my adopted daughter. The congregation discovered her in an orphanage, the scholar said she was a congregation agent. Natalia was going to be the fifth reincarnation of Sister Aurora. However she was only five, much too young to begin training. So I was given the task to watch over her, keep her safe and healthy until she was mature and strong enough to start the initiation. She was about to turn eight in 1916, but someone took her. Took her and killed her in a ritual to ensure Sister Aurora would never reincarnate again. Araghast was the criminal behind it." He paused and trembled. "For god's sake, she was daughter. On that day I failed the congregation, myself, and most of all I failed Natalia. I was tried as a criminal before the council and was sentenced to scour the globe searching for information that was lost long before I was born. Namely the technique to build the Expello Postulo. When I came up empty handed, they fell back to the traditional method of whipping, branding, and beating for a punishment."

"Why did you fail?" Maruyama asked.

"I was complacent. I hadn't been training and Araghast got ahead of me in skill. I believed I was fast enough to chase him. I wasn't. I believed I was strong enough to break his grip. I wasn't. I failed because I underestimated Araghast. You'd all do well to learn from the mistakes of others." As he finished the rocky layer surrounding the curtain crumbled and Ethan walked away. When he emerged into the bar area his only thought was to leave.


	7. Retribution: Death to the Tainted Spirit

I do not own Negima.

It's a bit late to mention this, but Ethan's sword is basically a Chinese war sword.

/\/\/\

Again and again Ethan considered what Maruyama said. Was he really trying to forget his daughter? The memories were painful, but to shut information away went against everything he believed. No simple answer existed, but he like the rest of his 'brothers' knew simple answers often meant very little.

He tabled the thought to consider later. Today presented another opportunity to find Araghast, an opportunity he was quick to exploit. One strategy had always worked for him, lay an ambush with bait. If Araghast wanted Konoka all he had to do was take her, Ethan was going let him and make his victory short lived. One minor glitch existed, he had no idea where she was. Upon the realization he took to the rooftops to begin his fifth active manhunt.

It didn't take much searching, Kyoto had many sights to see, but Cinema Village was a jewel. Knowing that, he made his way there. He quickly picked Konoka and her group out of the crowd with the curious addition of Brent. He dropped into the alley to try and follow at street level, that was before a familiar voice enveloped his ears. "You're close Ethan. Why don't you pounce?"

He spoke out loud while peering towards Konoka. "What are you on about?"

"The dragon. I know his name, and I know his weaknesses. I can give that information."

"Stop asking for Konoka. At Mahora's request she's under my protection."

"And the congregation said find the demon by any means necessary. Who's authority will you recognize? Your master's or a group of pompous mages that, let's face it, you barely know? You wouldn't have to do anything. Just turn away for a few moments."

Ethan stepped into the street to find a new vantage point, Konoka was moving out of view. "Well if it's something you want I make a point to move in the opposite direction. Can we find an understanding please? You keep saying you're making your final offer, but you come back again and again like some lost cat."

Araghast chuckled haughtily. "Don't you like cats?"

"I love cats. Don't change the subject."

Something seemed to surprise him. "Ooh. Looks like the subject changed itself." At that moment the bond with Ethan's mind severed. He turned down the street that Konoka had a moment prior to find a battle beginning to heat up. It only took a few moments, but smaller puppet entities began attacking the students in a manner that was not only nonthreatening, but borderline playful. What worried Ethan more was the woman from before, again commanding her demons. She stood on the rooftop beside a huge winged bow wielding demon at least twice her size. Obviously he prioritized the archer.

With that, he ducked back into an alley, and scaled a building. As he crested the roof, he noticed the archer let fly with an arrow. Instinctively he began to drive forward. From the corner of his eye he determined that Konoka wasn't hit, and for a moment wondered what was. The thought quickly faded as the demon readied another arrow. With a final faithful lunge, he drew his sword and attacked the archer. He slashed it across the stomach, easily severing it's hips and torso before continuing forward onto the adjacent rooftop. Concentrating his ki to his hand, he put it in front of him to slow his flight and planted his feet. He looked back, the archer was indeed dead but it managed to ready it's bow and fire before it's execution. The woman that had been after Konoka stood with look as though something had gone hideously wrong.

From the ground he heard a cry. "SE-CHAN!" Konoka's pleading voice filled in the missing information. The second arrow had hit Setsuna. Without a better plan, he prepared to pounce for vengeance. Before he did, a dark figure that went previously unnoticed seemed appear in a flash of dark flame. The dark flames indicative of the demon he fought back at Mahora. He sheathed his sword and readied his banishing pin. Focusing all his energy into a single darting attack, causing the shingles of the roof to splinter behind him from the force. He slammed into the demon at full speed, planting the pin into it's solar plexus. But without a point to grasp him, the demon was forced from Ethan's grip and flew into the water. He hurried to the edge of the building and looked down. Seeing the armor floating in the water, he assumed his prey had used a similar trick as Araghast and fled. Curiously enough, the arrow that had apparently hit Setsuna was removed and the wound completely healed. He knew Setsuna was magical, but of all her powers, healing was not one of them. The puppet creatures were gone as well. As far as he could tell, the situation was resolved. Quickly he turned to face Chigusa, but she and a strange white haired boy had begun running away across the tops of Kyoto. He walked to the roofs edge nearest them and yelled after. "That's two strikes! Understand? **Two strikes!**"

/\/\/\

Reflecting upon the confrontation Ethan came a startling realization. His quarry was not merely hiding at Mahora, he had an agenda involving his classmates. What it was he couldn't say with any certainty, but he assumed the worst and reconvened to form a plan with Maruyama.

As he approached the front door, he was shoved aside by a cloaked man a bit taller than Ethan with black hair. He was prepared to forget the incident and the man until he heard him mutter. "Falco you shithead." Just like that he formed his plan, and took off shadowing behind him. The chase became much harder to maintain as the man in front glowed green and took off like a shot, still Ethan managed to keep up thanks to his centuries of intense training. The two wove between crowds for several minutes before the leader broke away from the city altogether. At which point Ethan took position in a tower nearby and peered towards the running man. He bounced across the forest canopy towards a football field sized clearing. When the other had gained a considerable distance, he continued the hunt.

Bounding over the woods he heard the distinct voice jar his focus once again. "You just earned tickets the show of a life time Echo! Come to the lake and see what I mean." Araghast cackled with triumphant zeal.

He lost track of his other mission and focused only on Araghast. No matter what he said, he never got over what happened to his families. He never forgot the anguish of watching his parents die, holding his mutilated wife, or burying his daughter. Ethan landed hard on the branch in front of him. Using the swaying motion to launch himself into a breakneck sprint across the forest's ceiling, he charged to only lake Araghast could have meant. He approached the treeline overlooking the lake, towards it's center he noticed a ritual taking place. Chigusa and the white haired boy seemed hard at work with incantations, Konoka was tied to a chair unconscious. Ethan prepared to make a determined leap towards the pier on which they sat. But 40 feet before his jump, a bladed chain whip caught around his leg and dug into his heel. Clenching his teeth, he struggled to pull away, but the chain jerked and pulled him down to the forest floor. He flew past Araghast wielding the chains, and was swung around into the trunk of a tree. As he made contact, the the bark on the opposite side broke away, and the tree splintered bending forward over him the sound was drown out by the cracking of his spine. He looked down to see his gnarled calf muscle, without thinking he grabbed the spiked chains and began to untangle them. In response Araghast put his other hand on the handle, a wave searing heat overtook the whip. He worked through the pain and removed the restraint. Araghast pulled the whip back and swung once again, too late as his opponent sought shelter behind the broken tree. It gave him a moment to observe the situation. Araghast stood clad in the same corroded armor he wore the day he killed Ethan's Mother and Father. He kept two four foot claymores crossed on his back, and another massive sword on his hip. The blade of which resembled two stacked diamond shapes before coming to a point with two horns at the top, all told it was almost as tall as him. "Come out of there Echo, fight like a man!"

Ethan turned out of the tree with his sword ready. Araghast swung the whip again, it wrapped around the sword. Ethan turned it backwards and braced the blade under his arm. When he pulled back on the whip, Ethan flew with it straight towards Araghast. He put his foot out and stomped on the hand holding the whip. As the two hit the dirt, Ethan forced the sword through the whip and into the ground in a way that would trap both weapons. Ethan rolled through the landing into a crouched stance, hands beneath his coat on the cinquedias mounted on his back. Araghast kipped to his feet and drew the two claymores spinning them around, facing away from Ethan. So he stood waiting for the slayer to act.

Obligingly, he drew the long daggers and charged. As he covered the twenty feet to Araghast, he simply stood spinning the swords. Arghast turned his body right, swinging the swords with him. Ethan rolled low on the ground and kicked Araghast's feet out. As he tumbled down, Ethan spun to his feet, tossed the dagger from his right hand, drew the banishing pin, and punched down towards Araghast's chest. An instant before he punctured his rib cage, Araghast vanished in a black cloud.

Ethan looked up to see his dagger falling towards him, and prepared to catch it. Araghast took advantage and dove at Ethan at full speed with his swords at his side, the tips aimed forward. He thrust them in the hope of impaling his opponent and finishing his fight. Ethan sidestepped and threw up his knee up just as Araghast flew over. The force sent him flying into the canopy breaking branches and cracking trunks before falling hard on the ground, his swords only a few feet away. Ethan sprinted to one in an effort to deny his opponent the weapon. Araghast pulled himself and the clanking screeching armor up and dashed for the other sword. He grasped it, and turned around just in time to see Ethan beginning his downward swing with the new sword. Again Araghast disappeared to dodge. He didn't go far, he only appeared behind Ethan, drawing his the last massive sword in a swing at the height of Ethan's waist. He jumped into a front flip over the sword and landed in a crouch where he prepared the pin again. Meanwhile Araghast had been using the momentum of the huge blade to make a massive downward swing. Ethan rolled out of the way, as the sword stuck deep into the earth he lunged forward with the pin into Arghast's stomach. "Iamegoexpellovo-" Ethan spoke as quickly as he could, but Arghast threw a mean uppercut into his chin made worse by the metal gauntlets on his fingers. As he awoke from the flash of pain he was airborne. Aragahst jumped, ready to make an upward slice, bisecting Ethan. He concentrated the ki in his hands and threw his arms forward, adjusting his flight. Araghast rocketed past, bewildered.

The two landed in the thick forest unable to see one another. Ethan began to run in Araghast's direction. He stopped about where he presumed Araghast landed. The sound of Araghast's heavy, tired breathing was apparently audible, but it's direction was difficult to pinpoint.

When he spoke, his voice emanated from all directions. "You're already too late Echo. The ritual is unstoppable as long as Falco does his job."

Ethan kept his remaining cinqeudia in his left hand, and the banishing pin drawn in the other, all the while standing in a mantis stance. "I should hope he tries to stop me. I'll kill him too."

"What are you fighting for Echo? Do you even know? Did you ever know?" He yelled panicking.

"You deserve to die. Don't try to convince anyone otherwise you bastard!"

"What about Konoka? Why don't you save her?"

"I'm no fool. You'll stab me in the back as soon as I go after her. We finish this right now you fuck!"

"Are you still sore about Catalina? You told that Haruna character it doesn't bother you anymore. Is it that you care enough for her safety you would end my life, but you don't care enough to tell her the truth?"

Ethan snapped, stood up out of his stance, and began barking at the trees. "I don't have time for this! Fight me you goddamn coward!"

Araghast tiredly stepped out from behind one of the innumerable trees with his sword dragging behind him. He was on his last leg.

Ethan held his hands out and shut his eyes. "Adamans Fidelitas, iungo meus proelium" The tangible red glow again took it's place. As the light receded, his partisan was again in his hands. He sheathed his remaining cinquedia, grabbed the partisan near the bottom of the staff, and swung it down toward Araghast like a massive ax. The ground began to splinter and send jagged rocks jutting from the earth in a straight line towards Araghast. He leaped into the air to dodge, bounced off a tree, and flew over Ethan to make and overhead slash. Ethan waited patiently and motionless, when Araghast swung down he used the hook like protrusion on the back of the partisan to catch Araghast's blade and throw it aside. Araghast disappeared, and came back on top of his sword that had flown about 20 feet away. He charged and swung sideways at Ethan's stomach,but he planted the bottom of the staff in the dirt while holding the top in his hands. The force of the impact pushed Ethan back a bit. He yanked the partisan away and swung at Arghast. Just in time, he managed to put up his sword in defense. This went on once more until he spun his partisan over his head to gather momentum and made a powerful slash at the base of Araghast's sword. It flew away, and as Araghast dissipated to retrieve his weapon, Ethan threw the guan dao like a javelin which planted itself in Araghast's chest. He reeled for a moment and tried to pull the partisan free. Ethan ran and jumped at him, using his foot to drive the blade in deeper. Araghast fell backwards trying to catch his breath. Ethan walked over slowly. "No." Araghast squeaked. Without a word Ethan pushed the pin into the base Araghast's neck, and wrapped his fingers around his throat. He pulled Araghast into the air, and liberated his weapon from his opponent's ribs.

He stared furiously at Araghast. "Vindico is hereticus." The pain that Araghast was already in became exponentially greater, Ethan simply watched as Araghast writhed in agony.

In a few seconds the pain wavered and disappeared. Araghast hung limply, staring into the sky. "You've got me Echo. After 697 years of trying, you finally got me. Was it worth it?"

"**You know goddamn well it was worth it!**" He barked as loud as he possibly could.

"Really? Do you feel any better? Is your family back? Is Natalia alive again? Are you going see Catalina tonight? Face it, they're the same corpses in the same graves they've been in for centuries. You didn't solve anything, you didn't undo any damage, and you sure as hell couldn't keep your responsibilities in mind."

"What do you mean?" He seethed.

"That girl you were with, she's dead with some of her other friends. Konoka, the ritual is all but done, there's no saving her." He smiled a bit.

"What's your plan now? You think I'm gonna let you go? I can't undo the damage, but you will regret this when you face justice. Iam ego expello-"

"No. Not that! No!" He began to squirm weakly.

"Vos non pro deus tamen-"

"Please don't! Be reasonable!" His face twisted with sheer terror.

"Pro meus cado frater." As he finished the last line, the wind began took a force and pattern like that of being in the eye of a tornado, the ground broke away in front of Ethan, revealing a fiery labyrinth from which blood curdling screams could be heard. "Look Araghast. Take a good look. Not at the pit, but at the trees. It will be the last time you ever see them." He moved Araghast over the pit. "Remember this, eternity is a long time. You have much to answer for." He retracted the pin. "I will not pity you, and neither will anyone else." He released his grip, and Araghast plummeted into the hellish fissure. Before he could be seen hitting the ground, the earth knit itself together leaving a small rocky patch where the grass had been singed away. The wind slowly died down, leaving the most unsettling silence. He began to gather up the weapons he had left behind. As he walked away to find his missing cinquedia, he stepped on Araghast's sword, he paused for a moment to think before securing it behind the strap that now kept his partisan in place on his back.


	8. A Brush with Death

I do not own Negima

/\/\/\

Ethan charged out of the woods with renewed strength. As long as he didn't think about the things Araghast said, he could carry on with the same vigor he set out with. Araghast's whip clanked and rattled while hanging from his hip, his swords and daggers sat securely in their sheaths where they belonged, and one more massive blade, formerly Araghast's, was slung over his back. Breaking the line of trees, he quickly analyzed the situation.

Straight ahead was the pier, on which an incantation using Konoka's powers as a catalyst was still in it's early stages. However, standing directly in his way was a huge confrontation. The belligerents counted hundreds of summoned ogres standing in a forty foot circle around several of his classmates. Among them were Ku Fei, Mana, Asuna, and Setsuna shoulder to shoulder with three unknown individuals. Two were recognizably demonic, but one cloaked it's human shape beneath a long black coat, and further hid in a fog of impenetrable black smoke past which a twisted scythe was visible in his hands. Through the murmurs of the rioting mob, Ethan still made out the man's name, Averus. One was armored in red scales with a long pointed tail to the point it seemed useable as a weapon, also dressed in a black trench coat. As of of yet no weapons were visible on him, he called himself Falco. The last matched the figure he saw at Mahora, a scaly black humanoid with wings of dark fire, tendrils of flame breaching the surface of his clawed hands and pouring from the sockets of his eyes. The last of which began to speak. "Kaore the demon." As he carried on with his speech, Ethan drew Araghast's sword and began hacking into the crowd. Struggling with the weight of the sword and swaying his entire body through each attack, he killed at least 10 before vaulting over mass of demonic bodies to the other side where he landed on a last ogre and skewered it into the ground. Wasting no time he continued to the pier where Konoka layed unconscious. He had been told that most of the group poised in the mob where magical, although the presence of Asuna confused him, even so he knew they could hold there own in the situation that had arisen. For the first time in decades he had placed the protection of someone above the completion of his mission.

The wooden beams that formed the walkway to the pier creaked as the weight bearing down from Ethan's weapons forced them to flex beneath his feet. He swung the sword over his shoulder and secured it, after he traveled most of the way to the lakes center, the white haired boy from earlier stepped out in front of him. Ethan's pace slowed to a halt. The scene became that of a standoff. Ethan's opponent was all but shrouded by the glow behind him, but the silhouette did confirm Ethan's suspicions. "Fate. Was it too much to ask that I'd never have see you again?"

One hand in his pocket, he seemed undaunted at the prospect of battle. "Go home, swordsman. You don't know what you're meddling with."

"I'm all ears, tiny. What do you need Konoka for?"

"I said go home."

"I hate pulling this card." He mumbled. "By the authority of Fraternity Angelus Terra, I **demand** that you reveal your motives."

"So you're one of them?" He said, slightly surprised. "Do really think i recognize you're authority?

Ethan smiled grimly. "I guess i should have seem that coming. There's a nice yacht for sale in Greece that I've had my eye on, I think I'll go on a nice cruise as soon as i take the bounty on your head." He instantly moved into punching distance of Fate and threw a right hook. Fate caught it easily and punched at Ethan's stomach. He dodged it, grabbed both of Fate's wrists and hit him with his knee. Unfortunately, a strong barrier protected him, but the shockwave still pushed him back as the wood gave way and splintered. As he flew backwards, his cold menacing stare persisted. "What's wrong tough guy? Too cool to flinch?" His comment was a facade, the fact that a charged ki attack could do so little to an opponent gave him serious doubts. The two clashed again, Fate instantly got behind Ethan and threw a punch only to be caught. He tried to throw Fate over his knee, but even after wrenching his entire body in the maneuver, Fate barely budged. Fate's free hand wound up another mean punch, this time Ethan was caught across the jaw, and thrown through the pier in to the lake. Fate stood over the hole in the boards, his stance clearly telegraphed his pompous contempt. Meanwhile, Ethan crept up the opposite side. Fate continued to examine the rippling patch of water prompting Ethan to draw the two Spanish sabers on the side of his stomach guard to try and end the fight. To his immediate dismay, the boards again creaked beneath his weight, Fate turned around and Ethan continued his assault. As the sabers swung towards Fate's neck and ribs, he bounced over the strike. The two attacked with perfect technique and inhuman speed, but neither managed to land a hit. It continued until Ethan was alerted, and thereby distracted, by a rumbling sound from behind him. He turned around and was face face to face with an extremely muscular, horned demon, easily 15 feet tall. His focus was broken for a moment and Fate seized the chance, once again Ethan found himself 10 to 12 feet beneath the waters surface. The lethargy of the impact had him suspended in the lake for about 30 seconds. In that time he noticed a dark, human figure fly extremely low over the waters surface towards Fate. He regained his focus and swam to where Fate had knocked him into the water. A moment to gather his ki, and he forced his hand through the bottom of the walkway, grabbed Fate's ankle, and yanked him in a cloud of debris into the water. He seemed to have been bound by a spell as ribbons of magical energy wrapped around his torso and held him tight. He extended the pin and threw the most powerful punch he could muster in such a short time. The pin punctured the spherical barrier, but his hand did not. The shield flexed under the pressure of the impact, and as it retook it's shape, Fate's rigidly constricted body sank deep into the impenetrable murky depths. He didn't begrudge Fate or look down on him for not seeing the attack coming, not many people would. He was however still put off by the sheer strength of Fate's barrier.

At that time, he became aware of an overbearing glow on the pier. He swam to the surface and was instantly dwarfed by a summoned demon. The product of Chigusa's ritual no doubt. Standing roughly 200 feet tall with two faces and four arms, it's stature reflected the effort and energy put into it's calling. To the right, Negi waited bravely beneath the evil behemoth. He assumed he had shown up during his sub-aquatic break.

Beside Negi was the black demon Kaore. "Springfield-san, where's the white haired brat?" He said with an animalistic snarl.

"No time, Konoka's in danger, we need to help her!" Negi replied. He put his weight onto his back leg and began to charge an immensely powerful wind strike.

"…You are correct we must save those who can be saved before I can avenge those who were taken from us."

Ethan hauled his heavy, waterlogged cloak onto what remained of the dock. "Fate shouldn't bother us for awhile." He explained.

Kaore turned around. "Who are you?"

"We'll talk more later. Right now that... thing needs an attitude adjustment." It took a lot of effort to not seem hostile. He removed his cloak and threw it to the ground revealing the full array of weapons it once hid.

Kaore nodded. "Then no more delays. **Don't hold back!**" He called before rising on wings of fire to face the Sukuna. Negi unleashed his attack with little effect. Ethan pulled the cinquedias from his back and used them as ice picks to dig into the demons flesh and scale the side. Leaping 20 or 30 feet at a time, he was almost instantly perched on it's chest. From behind Kaore called his upcoming attack. "Infernal Tempest!" Ethan hatched a plan and made a final strong push towards the colossus's head. As fast as he could he pushed the banishing pin into it's head, and yelled out. "Kaore, aim for me!" In the instant before his attack was set loose he seemed confused, but complied. As the searing vortex clamped around Ethan, he put out his hand in the direction of the attack, and started his technique. "Verto meus specto opprotunus." The flame that was bound to burn him, was instead drawn into his hand. The energy transferred through Ethan's upper body, into his right hand, through the pin, and deep into the body of the beast. The process was excruciating, but greatly increased the efficiency of the attack. When it was done the Sukuna swatted Kaore out of the sky with one hand, and grabbed Ethan with the other. Ethan was being crushed in it's grasp, he let out a hideous, choked scream. Realizing he was about to be killed, he reached for the chain whip and swung it over his head to build momentum. Once he had gathered a powerful strike, he swung down and wrapped the 30 feet of jagged razor shard metal around the beast's wrist. A final yank on the chain, and Ethan fell free, loosely cradled in the Sukuna's severed hand. Before he was for a third time enveloped in water, he looked up at the Sukuna's face. Where he had clutched to it's skin, a noticeable patch of charred flesh replaced what had once been very much alive. The trick he pulled with the banishing pin had worked, but even so was surprisingly counterproductive. His upper body cried in pain from the arcing of so much energy, and the colossus was still standing. He threw the chain again and it wrapped around the neck of the beast. Once his fall was arrested, he swung towards the creature's midsection, and bounced away in a wide arc that landed him on the beasts head. He jammed the banishing pin in it's head again. "Iam ego expello vos non pro deus tamen pro meus cado frater." He uttered as fast as he could. A band of light shot down across the surface of the demon, in it's wake it left a slight, luminous presence. The light grew more distinct until, from a distance, it became difficult to make out it's features, only a huge white silhouette. In the same thick black smoke that the smaller demons from before vanished in, the creature began to erode. It let out a painful roar and frantically tried to scrape Ethan from it's head. The first swipe of the giant's enormous hand was on it's way. Ethan readied the chain, wrapped it around the creatures wrist, and pulled himself into a position to ride the swaying extremity, drawing the banishment to an end. The receding light revealed that most of it's skin had been burned away, it's capillaries and veins showed distinctly from beneath the translucent dermis.

The force of swinging at the end of the creatures arm caused the blades that secured Ethan, to tear through the Sukuna's flesh and send him barreling to the dock. He focused his ki and gained control of the fall, keeping himself from plunging through the wooden panels and into the lake. Set against the black sky was a short Gothic figure. Little could be seen save for the long hair blowing in the slight chilling wind. It raised it's hand to it's face, and prepared a magical strike. The slight purple glow emanating from it's hand revealed the face of Evangeline. Her eyes were fixated on the massive beast towering above Ethan, a tell tale sign that she was about to unleash a terrible attack. Ethan sprinted to what he assumed to be minimum safe distance, and turned to observe the beasts demise. Ice with the slightest of purple tints rose up and engulfed the summoned beast. Seconds after it had fully risen from ether, the top most part of the icy citadel shattered. Ethan turned away impressed, but as he tried to take a step, he realized that his left foot had been trapped. He smoothly drew the revolver on his hip from it's holster and pistol whipped the ice from his leg. His suave demeanor was broken as the huge waves rolled across the dock after the ice fell into the water. He managed to stay there, but it was certainly enough to break his stride.

/\/\/\

He took his time down the dock. He kept his gaze on the group with Ku Fei, Kaede, Yue, Mana, Asuna, Negi, Setsuna, Konoka, Falco, and Averus who were celebrating their hard won victory. Ethan stumbled as his leg caught on something. It was Brent, still unconscious. After his run in with the Sukuna's hand, he was left floating in the water until one of the waves washed him up on the dock. He threw Brent over his shoulder and continued to the rest on shore. Brent groaned as the cold water and swaying on Ethan's shoulder awoke him. All he could see were the weapons and leather armor sections that covered Ethan's back. He winced in pain. "Who are you?" He asked. The impact that had rendered him unconscious left with the equivalent of shell shock. Ethan didn't respond. "Where's the boy?" He said a bit more aggravated. Ethan still didn't say anything.

As Ethan walked up on land, the group had begun to examine the water. As he drew closer Ku took notice of Ethan, but more importantly Brent. "Brent san!" She said squealing with delight.

Brent choked out the most volume he could through his crushed ribs. "Ku Fei! I'd know your voice anywhere!" Around that time Ethan threw Brent off of his shoulder onto the ground in front of him. The pain was incredible. He ground his teeth and arched his back trying to cope.

Ku stopped. "Ethan? What you do-" Ethan drew the Schofield model 3 again, and pointed squarely at Brent's forehead. She took a step back, genuinely afraid.

By this time the rest of the group had taken notice and moved closer, ready to fight, Ethan was an enemy. Averus, Falco, Setsuna, Kaede, and Mana formed a circle around him. "What are you doing Ethan?" Asuna shouted.

Ethan stood rigidly. "Finishing my mission. I'm sorry I didn't let you know sooner, but you would have tried to stop me."

"What you mean?" Ku Fei asked, still terrified for Brent.

"I was sent to kill Brent here, and while I was going after him I caught wind of his friends. They die too."

"But why? He not evil!"

"His past exploits tell a different story."

Falco spoke up. "Move that gun or I'm gonna come take it." He began to spin the barrels on the massive gatling gun as a treat.

Ethan smirked. "Knock yourself out. You move, he dies." Everyone froze. "Now that I have your attention, lower your weapons." With incredible effort, Brent kicked his leg up and moved the revolver away. As he did so, Mana shot the gun out Ethan's hand, in the final move of the spontaneously generated plan, everyone who intended to save Brent, with the exception of Falco, descended on Ethan. Setsuna made it there first. At once Ethan drew his sword and swung with unimaginable speed, hoping to disarm her. While it took a considerable amount of strength, she held on and lunged. Ethan jumped back and almost into Ku Fei. She, Setsuna, Averus, Kaede, Asuna, and Mana all threw everything they had into a barrage of lightning quick strikes. Not one made contact with Ethan, what he lacked in strength, he made up for in agility. After a few moments in the maelstrom he jumped straight up... and into Falco and Negi's line of fire. Falco opened up with the Meteor, and Negi attacked with 9 powerful wind arrows. Ethan concentrated his Ki and nudged himself just slightly. The arrows collided with the rounds from Meteor and created a gauzy cloud of lead. Using no small amount of Ki he levitated for a moment in the fog.

"Did we get him?" Asuna asked. It cued Ethan to lash out at Falco. In a fraction of a second, his sword had pinned the minigun in the dirt. He left the sword behind and landed on Falco's chest, with all the momentum he was pushed over, and the Banishing pin was forced into his chest.

Ethan looked Falco in the eye. "Iam ego expell-" A powerful kick from Ku stopped his incantation and sent him flying 20 feet away. He emerged on his feet, undaunted. Falco jumped to his feet, retrieved his weapon, and opened fire again. The ground shook as the superweapon cascaded ordinance around Ethan. Once again he used the debris to move undetected. As it cleared, Ethan was gone. The group stood back to back, shoulder to shoulder in a large circle trying to find the missing slayer.

Averus broke the unnerving silence. "We need to get Brent and leave, now."

"Why's that?" Asuna asked.

"I dealt with these guys before, we can't win."

"But we outnumber him 8 to 1!"

"I don't doubt that we can kill him, but he'll finish Brent long before we do that. If we don't get Brent proper care we'll lose him, we can't afford that."

Over by Brent came the distinct click of pulling the hammer of single action revolver back. Instantly, Mana turned and fired, causing Ethan to lose his weapon, that was prepared to finish Brent, again. "Stop that!" Ethan said jokingly. Mana fired again at him, this time aiming for the head. He jumped onto Brent to dodge, and began his incantation again. Falco rocketed at him with a palm strike that successfully removed Ethan. He followed up with another volley from Meteor. Averus grabbed Brent in a fireman's carry. "Come on!" He ordered.

He stopped firing for a moment. "You take the girls and go! I'll slow him down!" Averus and the class dove into the woods to find a hiding place.

It was just him and Ethan now.

Falco stood his ground in the silence waiting. Ethan's voice came from the trees. "You must really like that gun. I can't blame you, it's a sweet piece. Shame you can't hit anything with it." Falco let loose on the trees. After about 10 seconds of burning the forest, he held his fire. "That's the idea. Keep firing at shadows it makes you look real intelligent."

"FUCK YOU!" He screamed, firing again into the shadows. When he stopped it left another unsettling quiet. He scanned the woods, panting. Someone whistled in his ear. He spun around to bludgeon what could only be Ethan with the back of the gun. Ethan jumped over Falco's head, turned, and punched him with enough force to create hole about two feet deep that Falco lied on his back in. He readied the gun, but Ethan pushed it aside and hit Falco in the face again. He proceeded to pull the gun away and force it back into Falco's head with crushing force again and again. After four solid hits, he tossed the weapon away and extended the banishing pin. The additional force from the weight of the minigun made every impact extremely taxing on Falco's strength, he could barely move.

"Last words?" Ethan asked.

Falco just looked up speechless. 'Is this it?' He thought. He saw salvation in an ominous shadow that crept up behind Ethan, standing malevolently over what he thought was his kill.

"No need." Came Averus's altered voice. He had re-assumed his reaper form, the tattered cloak, the sinister scythe, and the thick black smoke made an odd image for a savior. He swung the scythe horizontally at Ethan. He ducked below and slashed at the reapers stomach with the scimitar blade. It sliced effortlessly, but only because it seemed to pass through with no effect. Averus brought the blunt end of the staff up in a strike at Ethan's chin that landed perfectly. He flew to the side and the two brothers wasted no time in fleeing into the woods after grabbing Falco's impressive firearm. Averus carried it away, as it was all Falco could do to run off.

/\/\/\

Author's Note: Hope I got a good handle on everyone's personality. Falco seems a bit more gung ho and impulsive than in the original, but I think it worked pretty well.


	9. Adapt and Overcome

I do not own Negima

/\/\/\

The two older demonic brothers sat in in a clearing overlooking the temple where Brent had been layed down to rest, brainstorming their next coarse of action. Falco didn't seem to grasp the danger of the situation.

"We could have taken him." Falco said indignantly.

"Tough talk, but it's worth remembering he was kicking your ass."

He was quick to respond. "Only because you ran off with Brent. Had all kept on him, we would have won."

"But Brent would be dead and you know why that's unacceptable."

"What makes you so sure?"

Very out of character of Averus, he raised his voice considerably. "Do you listen to a word I say? I've dealt with these people before. That pin was dead giveaway, he was demon hunter."

He scoffed. "Pfft. I've dealt with demon hunters before, they're all alike. Did you hear how arrogant he was? 'Last words?'" he said mockingly. "He was going to start a fuckin' monologue and give me an opening at any second."

"That wasn't just another hack with a grudge against demons. He was a congregation agent. Psychopathic cultists who enforce the most brutally difficult training with savage beatings for those who can't keep up." Falco still seemed aloof, but Averus had one more trick. "Remember the battle of Aurelia?"

Suspiciously, Falco answered. "Yeah... the Great War. The first major conflict on the border, in the neutral industrial city of Aurelia."

"Go on."

Falco looked to the sky and searched for what he could remember. "It was an important target for both sides because it could produce a lot of weapons and armor right on the front line. The Helas Empire and Southern Confederacy both sent huge forces to take the city."

"How many were there?"

"Plenty. I think both sides sent an entire airfish fleet. Streets were packed with heavy troopers and cavalry."

"The north sent 12 heavy cruisers and 9 assault destroyers, and they had 5 standard regiments on the ground. The south had 10 heavy cruisers, 9 assault destroyers, and 1 carrier, backed up by 4 regiments, and 2 cavalry brigades on the ground."

"Sounds about right. Man we pulled out all the stops on that one." He said nostalgically. "What's this have to with that demon hunter?"

"The congregation in the magical world wanted to maintain the border and push both sides into a position where they could end the war diplomatically with minimal civilians in the crossfire. They thought the best way to do that was to make both of their armies combat ineffective. And so the congregation stepped in during the battle to do just that. Do you know what happened next?"

"Yeah both strike forces were crushed... you're saying that was the congregation?"

"Yes, guess how many congregation agents it took to decimate these two massive armies. How many congregation agents just like that one we're fighting now did it take?"

Falco seemed a bit more on edge now. "five thousand?"

"Try five _hundred_."

Falco sat up straight. "You're shittin' me."

"I wish I was. 33,000 infantry backed up by the most advanced magical navy ever, was destroyed by 500 men. 500 men who proceeded to burn the city to the ground because of it's strategic value."

He was almost speechless. "They really are insane."

"I did a lot of research on them after the great war. Had it ended two weeks later, they would have implemented the 'cursed sun' operation."

"What's that?"

"They planned to burn every major strategic target across the wars front line and so on for the next 50 miles outward, effectively creating a 100 mile wide no-mans land of scorched, unusable earth." Falco was completely stunned. "Now do you see why this is such a big problem? We're not up against someone who can be bought, reasoned with, or scared. We need to kill this guy, find somewhere to hide, and wait for them to forget all about us because we are sure as hell not going to fight this one out."

/\/\/\

Ethan had finished the last of his business at the lake. While Fate was missing, he was able to snatch Chigusa from the claws of Chachazero and was prepared to collect the bounty on her. Maruyama's den qualified as a congregation mission (like a base of religious practice, not an agenda), so he could take her there. She walked a few feet in front him, the handcuffs she wore were hidden by the loose sleeves of her kimono. Ethan hid his pistol in the deep pocket of the trench coat he recovered from the lake, and kept it pointed at the small of Chigusa's back. "I haven't found that purpose you were talking about yet, y-you can't kill me." She bargained weakly.

"Calm down, I'm not going to kill you. You're worth more alive."

"Whatever they're giving you I can give you something much more valuable."

"More valuable than $15,000 in gold coin?" She was silent. "I didn't think so. Actually I can probably convince them to give me more seeing as that big demon also had to get dead."

"No! I can get servants! And... and enchanted weapons! And... and... Please don't turn me in." She finished.

"Too late. We've arrived." He pushed her into the bar that concealed Maruyama's den, and led her downstairs. As they pushed the curtain aside, Maruyama seemed deep in meditation, crosslegged, facing the elevated fire dish. "Master?" Maruyama didn't move. A congregation agent in a dark red cloak came from Ethan's left.

"Maruyama-sama can't speak now. I can handle whatever business you're here for, Lord Demandepace."

"This is Chigusa Amagasaki. I'd like to collect the bounty on her." He said, still keeping his hostage at gunpoint.

"Very well sir. I'll find what she's worth." Nobody seemed bothered by the fact that a woman had been brought inside under threat of death, everyone in the congregation was so desensitized, such brutality was almost routine. Ethan waited motionless, all emotion and cognition was gone, he was a weapon and nothing more while he was on mission. The agent returned with a scroll and read from it in a very official, almost regal, manner. "Ahem. For the crime of attempting to overthrow an established magical organization, as recognized by Fraternity Angelus Terra, Chigusa Amagasaki is sentenced to class C imprisonment until such time that she is willing to submit to a period of indentured servitude lasting no more than twenty years and no less than ten."

Ethan examined the sash that the other agent wore, the minute details in the pattern running it's length showed that he was still an apprentice. "Apprentice, as master slayer I wish to revise her contract."

"What sir? It's a standard contract for someone who's committed such crimes."

He looked at Chigusa hatefully. "A personal vendetta."

He gave a sadistic grin. "Hehe. I see, what do you want to change sir?"

"Class A confinement."

Chigusa turned around. "What's that mean?" She said fearfully.

"Class C is a typical prison cell. Cramped, no privacy, 3 meals a day. Class _A_ is even more cramped, more of a hole in the wall really. You have privacy, but that's just because you don't have any light, except for twenty minutes of candlelight to eat your only meal everyday by." She was horrified. "You made this personal when you sent Fate after Haruna. You'll have plenty of time to think about what you've done."

"No. No. What's indentured servitude mean, how bad is that?" She said in a panic.

The agent chuckled a bit. "That's the thing, we aren't going to tell you. It might be better, it might be worse. The suspense is what really drives people crazy." She began to tear up. "Go sit in the corner, a the next caravan from the stronghold should be here in two days to pick you up and take you to the old Bastille." She went to sit down, drained of all feelings but shock and horror. He continued from the scroll. "The captor of Chigusa shall, effective May 11th, 2001, receive the equivalent of $15,347 American dollars in gold."

"Come on man, I took down demon she summoned too, the thing must have 250 feet tall. What say to the price of $18,000?"

"You're not going to haggle with me sir. You get $15,347."

"Fine." The agent held up a fist-sized pouch, jingling with precious metal. Ethan took it and walked away. "Start counting out a few more pieces. I'll be back with three more before the day's over." He stopped with the curtain held above his head. "Look up the bounty sheets for Falco the Red, Averus the Reaper, and Kaore the Demon." The curtain fell and he left.

/\/\/\

**Several Hours Later**

Brent's eyes opened slowly, the comfort of sleep kept drawing him in, but he detected a presence in the room, even as he focused on the featureless ceiling. The golden rays of sun that warmly showed into the room, were obscured and shadowed around an object that hovered by his bed. As his eyes focused in, he realized it was a human shape, kneeling next to him. Nothing about the motionless entity gave him reason to think it was hostile, but it was certainly frightening to have someone sit still and watch you sleep for any length of time. On the side opposite the figure, he felt something laying next to him, after examining it with his hand, he determined it was a sword, specifically a nodachi in it's sheath. He gripped the handle in the event things went bad, and opened his eyes to signal his consciousness.

It spoke. "Wake up Brent."

He immediately recognized Ethan's voice, and remembered who's side he had been on since last night. He held the sheath of the nodachi down with one foot and pulled it out with another and swung vertically, down at Ethan's head. Ethan tensed up, with his left hand he reached to grab the cinquedia on his right side and brought it in an arc that forced the nodachi and the cinquedia into the floorboards. As his body rotated, he trust the banishing pin into Brent's chest. All at once his lungs and throat felt painfully cold and dry and was unable to move.

**Meanwhile**

Falco and Averus still sat on the hill above Brent's room. About twenty minutes prior, they had seen someone walk into their brothers room. At the distance maybe 600 yards, it was difficult to tell who.

Falco was uneasy. "I don't like this, whoever that was, they've been in there for too long."

"You're right. Something has him on edge. I can feel it."

"Maybe we should check on him."

"No, we-" Suddenly his back arched back in surprise. "He's in danger. We need to help."

"What's going on?" He asked.

Without a word, Averus picked himself up and ran down to the temple. Falco soon followed.

**Back with Brent**

Brent was at the mercy of a mentally and emotionally unstable demon hunter, poised at the end of powerful tool designed just to kill demons like him. He stared Ethan in the eyes, defiant and brave to the end, even as his efforts to resist were met with no results. "Listen to me Brent. I'm going to let you go. When I do, I want you to sit back down, and talk with me. I didn't come to kill you." Ethan released Brent, and carefully he sat back down. He was still on guard as the scene was hardly comforting, his would-be assassin sat about a foot in front of him and his weapon was stuck about ten inches in the floor. Ethan retrieved his cinquedia and sheathed it once more. "Brent, I left today all set to kill you, in fact, I was looking forward to it. I blamed you for something very serious. You see, the late Araghast told me Haruna was dead, and you were just in the wrong place at the wrong time, and I began to blame you as her murderer... Imagine my surprise when I come here to find that she's not only alive, but chatting with Kazumi, who by the way I was told was also dead, about how you saved them."

He interuppted Ethan. "Kazumi's okay?"

"Yes, she's fine. There's more to it than even that. During my search for you, I got to thinking. If it's in Chigusa's and Fate's interest to take Haruna, Nodoka, Kazumi, and Yue out of the picture, then why were you enemies? That must mean you don't share a common goal. Not only that, but you fought alongside Negi and the others at the lake. This means you're an enemy of Chigusa, and at least on good enough terms with Negi to fight by his side. So, if you're an enemy of Chigusa, and not strictly a friend or enemy of Negi's, then I have one very simple question. Who's side are you on? What are you after?"

Brent took a moment to glare at Ethan. "I don't have an agenda, I just want to live without people like you hunting me down. That's all I've been after my whole life. Why am I the bad guy?"

"That's just it. We need to figure out if you are or not. Which brings us to my question. Why, if you just want to live and let live, has it been confirmed that in March of 1171, you... I'm sure I don't need to tell you what happened to the Ichigama Inn. Moreover, it's on record that you're directly responsible for the deaths of over 12,000 people in your lifetime. If I'm right about your age, that's 100 every year. Am I right to assume you've killed someone every three days for the past 1200 years?"

As Brent was preparing to speak, Averus and Falco burst into the room. Ethan pulled his gun drew a bead on Falco's forehead. Quickly, he pulled an uzi from the holster in his coat and responded in kind. "Hold on Falco. Put the gun down."

Falco was once again, for worse, stuck in his ways. "Are you crazy? Do you know what these congregation guys have done? That guys a lunatic!" He kept the gun on target.

"He's just here to talk, so cool it."

The standoff went on silently for another 5 seconds, until Ethan spun the weapon in his hand and returned it to his holster. "There, now we can be friends." Falco stood still, staring down the block that comprised the uzi's form. Averus moved forward carefully, and sat down at the side of Brent's bed. A moment later, he followed, but stubbornly refused to stow his firearm, and further refused to stop aiming it at Ethan. He didn't seem bothered. "Where were we?"

"You were talking about the things I've done wrong, and carefully omitting everything I've done right."

"Enlighten me."

"I've killed more than my share of men, but among them were the thieves, murderers, sadists, the Nazis, and people like you. People who think it necessary to kill me because of my heritage as a demon. Those who didn't attack me first, deserved to die, and I think you would agree. I don't take people's lives lightly, I never have."

"Is that so?"

Brent was irritated. "What good does it do plead my case if you're going to shoot it down anyway?"

"Well, prove it."

"Ask anyone who was at the lake. They know I'm not up to anything, if you can't trust them I don't know who you can."

Ethan looked and the ground and was lost in thought. He knew what Ku Fei and the others would say if he went for their opinion, the question was, could he trust them? He continued to stare until he looked Brent dead in the face with a determined look in his eye. He reached into his coat, as his hand entered obscurity, Falco forced the gun to Ethan's temple and everything froze. "... Little jumpy are we?" He asked, quite agitated, before continuing to reach into the coat. He pulled out blue book, Falco pulled his gun back. It was fairly thick and had a loose chain running the length of the spine that had been used to affix it to his hip. Inlaid in matte black on the cover were the words 'Codex: Fraternity Angelus'. He held it nostalgically in his hand before throwing it against the wall. "All the signs were there. The brutality, the zeal, we were just parts of machine that had been long ago corrupted. Pawns to an uncaring and hungry authority."

Everyone was taken back by what he said. "What do you mean?" Averus asked.

"I mean the congregation here on earth has been, for the longest time, ignoring the doctrine we were founded on. The highest echelons of the congregation had been locked in a power struggle for the who knows how long. I don't know when it ended, but we're no longer the models of order we had once been."

"You didn't answer my question."

"The congregation has taken a turn for the worse. I renounce my affiliation with them." Averus was speechless. The unshakable faith of a congregation agent, broken by his younger brother. "Brent, you've shown me that everything I once believed has been false. I owe you something indescribably valuable. You've saved me from living as slave, blinded to reason." Ethan bowed his head.

Brent looked at him quizzically. "What are you going to do?"

"You represent purity where once I only saw filth. You have the potential to right what has been wrong for too many years. I will protect you from the congregation, and we will save this world from it's encroachment and atrocities."


	10. But What Lies Ahead?

I do not own Negima.

The big 10! My little pet project has finally hit it's first big milestone. I'm so proud!

/\/\/\

In the few minutes following Ethan's resignation, Brent had corrected Ethan's misconceptions about him such as age, past, and especially strength. In fact, the short time was all I took for Brent and Ethan to become very friendly. Falco and Averus left in a hurry.

"So Brent, can I have a look at that sword you almost killed me with?" Ethan asked happily.

Brent reached over, yanked it from the wooden floor, and handed it to Ethan. "What do you need with it?" He asked. Perhaps it was foolish to so quickly trust Ethan, but Brent was a good judge of character and could tell that however crazed Ethan was, he wasn't a liar.

"I'm a master artificer in the congregation... or I was, but I might be able to tell you a bit about it."

"By all means. It's a mystery to me."

Ethan examined the nodachi. It was made of icy blue crystal and lacked a hand guard. The handle was made of the same piece of precious rock as the blade, and was wrapped in four cords of alternating colors before terminating in four black talismans at the end. "Interesting choice of material, crystal tends to be brittle. Another bold choice not putting a hilt on it."

Brent was disappointed. "You don't seem to know any more than I do."

"Well, normally there's a signature, but there's not. Without a signature you go by the pattern of the tool marks, but amazingly there's none. With material like this they should be plain as day, but there isn't any. Which means it probably wasn't built, but summoned." He spun it once and returned it to Brent. "I think it's what we call an 'emotionally linked weapon.' It was formed or summoned out of necessity to protect yourself or someone you loved, maybe Ku Fei or Kazumi. How'd you get your hands on this?"

Brent took it a put it back in it's sheath. "I don't know. I woke up here, and it was sitting next to me."

"Did you have it during that big fight?"

"No."

"Well, shit. That exhausts our only possibility, it might have been left as a gift. So the big question now is who left it here." As Brent put the sword back on the bed, it flashed a brilliant, cool blue that seemed to envelope his forearm. It left a strong a burning pain until the light shrank away, and the sword disappeared. A quick examination of the room yielded no results finding it, but Brent found a new tattoo greatly resembling the nodachi on the inside of his forearm, running the entire length of his elbow to his wrist. He silently gestured towards it, and Ethan was quick to gawk. "Sorry to say this, but that only raises further questions." Ethan said after a considerable pause.

"Story of my life." Brent said, disappointed.

About then the door cracked open, leaving the most unsettling silence as the two stared searchingly for what had caused the disturbance. "Brent-kun?" Came Ku Fei's deceptively small voice. She opened the door more fully and peered through. "I think I saw Ethan earlier. I came to make sure you alright." At that moment she noticed Ethan sitting casually across from Brent. Before anyone knew what happened, Ku had pushed Ethan onto his back, and began to punch and kick his head into the floor.

Brent sprang up to try and restrain the Kung Fu master. He held her by the shoulders and spoke into her ear. "Ku! It's okay, Ethan's not here to kill me. He's a friend."

She stopped for a moment and listened to Brent. "Why you say that? He try to kill you!"

"He used to be in a group that wanted me dead, but he left it behind. He's on our side now." He said, hugging her and gently pulling her away from Ethan.

"How you sure he no lying?"

"I just... know, okay? Please believe me."

She thought for a moment, before turning to hug Brent back. "I believe you."

The two held each other for a moment before Ethan groaned from the bottom of the hole he had been smashed into. "Ku Fei?" He said weakly. The two turned to look. "When I heard you did Kung Fu I thought 'Oh that's kinda cool' But I had no idea you were that strong." He sat up and pulled his head out of the floor, debris falling out of his hair and off his face. "I don't think I've been hit that hard twenty or thirty years." He said happily. "But to answer your question, not only am I not going to kill your boyfriend, I'm going to protect him from my former brothers."

"Former brothers?"

"Long story short, Ethan's from a brotherhood of demon hunters called The Congregation, and was sent to kill me. But we convinced him that I'm not a bad guy and that my brothers aren't bad... I mean their not evil... I mean... they have _some_ good in them." Brent said.

A grin grew across Ku's face as she quickly kissed Brent on the cheek and helped Ethan out of the hole. "I go spread the word." She said, making her way to the door.

"So how do you plan on breaking the news to the congregation?" Brent asked, after Ku had left. He didn't want to make anyone worry.

"I'll let them figure it out. If we go to them now, they'll kill us all. We wouldn't stand a chance."

"What makes you so sure?" Said Brent, playfully picking a fight.

Ethan caught on. "The congregation has thousands of soldiers just like me, and no offense but you could never beat me."

"Oh really?" He said with mock-hostility, walking closer to Ethan.

"Yeah really." He stood his ground.

Brent punched straight at Ethan's solar plexus. Ethan pushed it aside and dodged to the left. While he wasn't paying attention, Brent went low and kicked Ethan's feet out. He smoothly fell into a roll and sprang back to his feet to be instantly met by Brent's uppercut. Ethan caught it and used the energy to throw Brent over his knee onto the ground. When he hit the floor, Ethan put everything he had into a punch that would crush Brent into the floor. Quickly he phased into the rooms shadows, leaving Ethan to make a crater out of the ground.

**Outside**

Ku was leading, Asuna, Setsuna, Konoka, and Haruna to the room where she left Brent. Not yet hearing the commotion inside.

"What made you so sure it wasn't a trick?" Setsuna said skeptically.

**Inside**

Brent reappeared on the ceiling above Ethan, and hung onto one of the rafters.. He stood up and searched for Brent. "Where'd you go?"

As if he'd known he would say that, Brent swung down and kicked Ethan out the door, reducing it to splinters and paper scraps. All accompanied by the line "Right here."

**Outside**

"Brent seemed pretty confident, aru. I sure he-"

Right then Ethan was kicked outside in a hail of fragmented door, past the slightly elevated walkway, and onto the grass 10 feet away. Brent stepped out of the hole confidently, staring Ethan down.

Asuna stepped forward from the group. "I knew it! Adeat." She said, summoning the huge paper fan into her hands.

Brent held up his hand, signaling her to stop. "It's okay he's still not trying to kill me. Just a friendly competition."

Brent looked at Asuna for a second. Ethan immediately pounced. "That's right! So very friendly!" He said manically. The girls listened, stunned as the other two wrestled and struggled inside the room, ruining it further as evidenced by the crashing and breaking noises of wood and glass. Finally they crashed outside one more time, hands at each others throats. As they came out of the somersault, Ethan was on his feet holding Brent by his neck, he lifted him into the air slammed him into the ground with a thud that could be not only heard, but felt by those standing a few feet away. "I think I've won." Ethan said.

Brent groaned and kipped off the ground. "Fine, round one to you." Ethan flexed his arms in triumph. "Don't let it go to your head."

"So... you guys really are getting along?" Asuna said, slightly confused.

The two ignored her, both laughing. "They're gonna be so pissed when they find that room in the shape it's in!" Ethan said. Rude maybe, but I did answer her question.

/\/\/\

Asuna, Konoka, Setsuna,Yue, Haruna, Nodoka, Eva, Chachamaru, and Kazumi were on their way to meet the temple elder, Brent tagged along for Kazumi, and Ethan stayed with Brent and Haruna.

They were walking side by side with Haruna leaning on his shoulder. "I wish you had told me you were a bad guy earlier. We could have conquered the world together."

"You as empress of the world? What a terrifying thought." He teased.

Ethan overheard how they were going to Nagi's old house, which explained the side trip down the winding path through the lush green woods. He was less than pleased, Ethan was certainly the type to hold a grudge and he never forgave Nagi for what he did after the war.

His smile had faded by the time they reached the door. They pressed inside to reveal a comfortable home with a loft, and bookshelves in lieu of walls running to the ceiling.

Haruna melted away from Ethan in awe. "So... many... books."

"So modern... so clean!" Asuna said, delighted.

Ethan phased out and absently scanned the selves for anything interesting. Being in this place he felt the lingering, distinctive presence of Nagi Springfield. A face in a perpetual, honest grin, always making jokes and never taking things too seriously, it made it difficult to imagine that almost everyone who fought beside Ethan in the war constantly referred to him as 'That dirty two faced snake.' In a moment of clarity from his confused brooding he heard Brent mention something. "I met him during the war... nice guy, but completely nuts in a good way."

"Well he was certainly nuts, whether or not that's good is still open for debate." He said, jumping in with a lighter tone of voice.

Brent looked over. "You can't deny he did a lot of good though."

"Wasn't trying to." He said dismissively. Twenty years later he wasn't mad about what Nagi had done to him, but he felt cold and unfulfilled at the thought. Like some great effort had gone unverified and unappreciated.

The next book he pulled from the shelf was a brief history of the Great War. Aptly titled 'A Brief History of the Great War.' Interesting title considering it weighed about 15 pounds. It detailed most of the larger military engagements, the political situation leading up to it, prominent figures, and the motives of Fate and the others who had started the war between the north and south. Ethan was briefly mentioned as one of the congregation leaders during the battle of Aurelia, but most of what his actions were ignored. He flipped to the index and looked for something specific. "Dirty Dozen... Dirty Dozen..." He said in chanted whispers as his finger traced the lines of text. They were his combat unit during the war, but there were no entries. The void in his stomach grew. He remembered the first, middle, and last names of everyone he fought with, at least those who didn't have aliases, but he seemed to be the only one.

**Flashback**

The congregation's first legion was waiting in the rolling hills outside Aurelia. The grass was beginning to turn brown with the onset of fall. Lines of tents and infantry in blue and red robes, representing slayers and mages respectively, looked like the roman armies that the congregation had modeled themselves after. In city evacuating citizens piled everything they had into airfish and moved as far away as possible, nobody was brave enough to stay. A few hours earlier, smoke had ceased to rise from the stacks as the forges began to shutdown. Most of the buildings were shorter in size, the majority of the city was located below ground, powering their furnaces with magma. One building however towered for almost a hundred stories above the rest, Angel Forge. On one side it was flat and made mostly of glass windows, but the side that faced the oceanic harbor was rounded like a massive blade to push away the powerful winds from the sea. The sun was setting, casting an ominous black shadow over the congregation's temporary base.

As the north and south both declared war, the congregation made one public statement. "Any action using force to take land or facilities by either the Helas Empire or the Confederacy, will not be tolerated. We will oppose any military action by either side. If either or both sides wish to surrender, we will gladly provide a neutral ground and judge to oversee the proceedings." They had warned them and had positioned themselves in plain view, hoping and praying that their reputations as frighteningly efficient killers would deter the attackers. They didn't expect the incoming airfish navies to turn back.

Ethan and four others all in blue robes clustered around a table, each was a master slayer. It's top was a large overhead map of the city with important areas highlighted. One more entered the tent, Grand Master Seraph. In almost 700 years he had finally begun to age. His hair was short and graying, his once neat brown goatee was turning white and scraggly, but he still carried himself tall and strong. "Gentlemen, I take it you've had time to study the map." He said in a deep slightly rasping voice. The rest nodded and mumbled. "Good. As much as I hate to say this, I'm at a loss for strategy. I'm open to suggestions."

"I propose we let the two fight it out until morning. When they are both weakened, we strike." One said.

Another waved his arms back and forth in disagreement. "No, they'll have fighting positions dug in by then. If we don't meet them at the city then by the time we show up they would have teleport nexuses and heavy guns ready." Said another faceless warrior.

"Meet them on open ground? That's suicide! There are at least 10 regiments of elite troops and 2 over-strength naval battle groups coming." He responded.

"That's why we should start planting bombs in the city to knock the buildings over onto the troops. That would also eliminate it's strategic value."

Seraph broke in with his booming voice, even at the even volume he used. "You're talking about using thousands of tons of explosives in a plan that would, in the end, leave their navy completely intact. That's assuming we can plant explosives on every building in the third largest city in the magical world in a time frame of about one hour."

Everyone was silent. "What about this?" Ethan said. "Here in the bay there's a desalination facility set up. It channels water through this canal to the station here at the foot of angel forge." He said, all the while tracing the landmarks on the map with his hand. It's large enough to supply water to every house and building in the city. So what I propose is we send a team into the channel's maintenance entrance, and plant explosives on the wall to flood the underground forges with water. When that icy water hits the molten rock used in the geothermal forges-"

"It'll explode, taking the whole building with it." Seraph said, mildly amazed.

"There's more." Ethan said, feeling proud of his plan. "The whole city is basically floating on a lake molten rock, the explosion should break up the foundation and send the whole district into a sinkhole. Not only that, do you know what happens when salt water hits magma? It creates chlorine gas. (It's true.) On a calm day like this it should fill the streets, if not, then it rises into the airfish fleet and kills everyone on board."

"Ha! Brilliant Echo! It is your plan so I guess your in charge."

"I'll lead the team to clear the canal and plant the charges, silently of course. Another team should be in the air moving ship to ship bringing down their navy's."

"I suggest a force of 100 men to take out the Helas and another 100 to take out the Confederates."

"Do it. The last 200 should in the streets wreaking havoc, and keeping them on their toes.

"You won't need a hundred honor guard slayers to plant bombs Echo. Take your best and let the others bolster the other teams."

"Aye sir."

Seraph starting moving to the tent flap to leave. "Echo, get your team on the move in ten minutes. Everyone else, rally your forces and await my go." He walked out, in the distance he could still be heard sternly giving orders. "Get me a link to the stronghold! I need every capable airfish on it's way here NOW!"

/\/\/\

Things didn't go as planned. They underestimated the strength of the explosion, and Ethan's task force spent hours digging out of rubble to reach the surface. Most of the agents in the streets died in cannon volleys from above, most of the survivors died in the explosion. Losses were minimal in the air due to the fighting, but most of the airfish crashed to the ground with agents still inside.

From 500 of the congregation's best to a beleaguered force of less than 100. From 2 armies of collosal scale, to ash. From a jewel of a city that provided almost half of the magical worlds machinery, to a saltwater calderas lake decorated with rusting airfish hulls. All in one night. The Great War had begun.

/\/\/\

A few days after the battle of Aurelia. Ethan was summoned to the stronghold of the congregation's magical world sect. The room was massive, circular, and made from mostly a desert yellow stone. Except one wall made of glass from which the setting sun showed through in dazzling warm color. In front of the window sat 5 members of the congregation along a long table that matched the arc of the walls, all near the top it's hierarchy. Ethan sat on one knee in the center of the room.

"This is the first overt war we have been pressed into in almost 400 years." Said one of the men at the table, in an old voice that squeaked slightly. "Too late do we realize why we had once taken such care to avoid this situation."

"Yes, more than 80 percent of our first legion honor guard lay dead." Said a deep and youthful voice from the other end of the table, still addressing Ethan. "An army as small as ours simply isn't cut out for warfare of this scale."

Ethan broke in, knowing if he didn't he would never get a word in. "I performed my duties as commander of that company as best I could. Too much of that battle was out of my hands."

"We know Echo." Said the first man again. "Your company had the best survival rate of all those who went to battle that day. We're not here to reprimand you for your performance. To the contrary we want to begin our new battle plan with you."

"Sir?" Ethan said.

"Joseph Stalin once said 'Quantity has a quality all it's own.' That being said, a military a few thousand strong, no matter how skilled, is in no position to oppose one that ranks several million. Therefore we will revert to our previous battle strategies, tried and true. We will be as as surgical scalpels, thinly and precisely severing critical assets of these armies until they are unable to wage war any further. That's where you come in, Echo. We want you to lead a task force independent of the congregation. One that can carry out the most imperative operations to ending this war without either side knowing it was us. On earth I think you called these black ops."

Ethan paused a moment. It was customary in the congregation to think for a moment before you respond to something important like this. "I understand sir. How large should this task force be?"

The second man spoke up again. "We trust your judgment. You will decide how large or how small it should be, but you will be tasked with taking any, _any_ measures necessary to end the war."

"I understand, my lord."

"You may recruit anyone you wish. Have your company assembled before the end of the month and be ready for your first assignment."

Ethan stood up and kept his head pointing to the ground. He bowed and left to do as he was told.

"One more thing Echo! You can take a few agents with you, but the you must ensure that nobody outside the congregation knows that you were sent by us."

**End**

Jason Nikolas Bishop: An abused Chicago native. Joined the marines at age 17 after watching his violent drunk of a father die by the front door of a heart attack. Ran black ops in Vietnam for several years before settling down with Bridgette, a french chef he met on R&R in Paris. They were married and moved to Los Angeles where Bishop joined the LAPD as a detective. Together they had a beautiful daughter, Marie Bishop. His wife and daughter were killed by seemingly random violence. Ethan found a Jason a few months later in the Lower Michigan Institution for the Criminally Insane.

Malcolm Patrick Blackwood: A legend in undergrounds of West London and Glasgow, Blackwood was rumored to have killed hundreds in retaliation for their crimes. Murderers, rapists, mobsters, if the court couldn't convict them, he hunted them down. Afters days without rest, interrogating strung out junkies and hearing stories from owl-eyed outcasts, he found Blackwood with the heel of his boot to a mans throat. He fought through the great war at 50, demonstrating his youthful vitality.

Arkus Cautio: A relatively young congregation member recently graduated to the rank of slayer. Originally born in a small village in the magical world over 300 years ago. Was extremely gifted throughout his training and has risen to his rank in the shortest time of anyone in history, a record previously held by Ethan. He was recruited as Ethan was leaving the congregation stronghold, who happened to notice an arena fight between Arkus and a master slayer. Arkus won in under 20 seconds.

Rebecca Marion Lynch: Rebecca grew up on an old plantation house in the deep south and was highly privileged... until her extremely religious family found out about her magical powers. They kicked her out of the house immediately and she lived in an orphanage for until she turned 18. From age 13 to 22, she spent every moment of free time training her abilities, wishing to learn more about them. She is classically educated, beautiful, and a fantastically dangerous soldier.

Nikki Rogue: Shrouded in mystery, nothing is known about her before Ethan recruited her for the dirty dozen. She had a delinquent attitude and was constantly spoiling for a fight. Yet, she loved her teammates and got along with them very well.

Mendoza Borisovich: Mendoza was born to an imprisoned rape victim and a nameless guard in a Siberian gulag. The details of his upbringing remain in question, but we do know that he was raised to be brutally efficient killer for the Soviets, despite his disdain for authority. That is not to say Mendoza is evil, he is not a traitor and has a conscience as to whether one deserves to die. It is difficult to earn his loyalty, but if one can do it, he will never turn his back on them.

Gerard Aime LaRue: Gerard's father died when he was very young, and his mother was constantly away working at a strip club. He rarely attended school, preferring to roam the streets with his friends, stealing whatever they could no matter how useless and flirting with older women. He developed his magic through many of these 'adventures' and by age 22 was a powerful mage, almost certainly capable of crushing battalions of troops.

Lukas Eli Zipher: An enormously muscular man, not very bright. His lesser intellect, however, didn't hold him back from his role as the main power of the dirty dozen. He too grew up in an orphanage, but has no recollection of his childhood. All that _is_ known is that has a ton of natural control over his ki that amplifies his already incredible strength.

Jacob Peter Cyprus: Grew up in the heart of Kansas with nothing to do... ever. He discovered his magic by accident at a very young age, but didn't put it to much use until he took chemistry in highschool. He quickly taught himself the unique ability to change atomic structures with magical energy. Simply put, he can turn anything into anything using his abilities and vast knowledge of engineering. Ethan found him in a prison, after demolishing several abandoned structures using advanced explosive devices built primarily from potatoes.

Akanar Sushrina: Born and raised in the mountains, taught to be self sufficient, living off of meat from dragons that he and his family hunted. He has a knack for surviving anywhere, turning trash into weapons and traps, and solving his problems cunning and force, diplomacy to him is a completely foreign concept.

Tanaka Arisawa: Son of a geisha and a Marine, Tanaka was born during the American occupation and raised on Okinawa on a military base. He hated it, and joined a small yakuza gang as soon as he was able. They provided him with a sword at age 15 that to this has almost never left his hip to this day. His gang eventually grew into one of the most powerful crime organizations in Japan. When Ethan heard rumors of a 'god-like swordsman' as one of the lieutenants of a yakuza gang, he pursued him without pause. In 1983 the gang disbanded as all of it's high ranking members were simultaneously killed, except him. Tanaka joined Ethan on an oath, the details of which are a closely guarded secret between the two.

War has a way of strengthening the bonds between people who suffer through it. The dirty dozen grew from a group of elite, self taught, misfit-turned-soldiers, into a brotherhood. Although they have long since gone their separate ways, the ties between them are unbreakable, their time together has changed their lives forever.

It angered Ethan to no end that his brothers and sisters were ignored by the people he was ordered to kill for. But Ethan knew most people had no interest in his problems, he perished the thought as best he could, and chatted the day away until they left for 'home' at Mahora. Haruna and him were relatively quiet on the train, listening to music on her mp3 player resting on each others shoulders.

/\/\/\

Author's Note: If the exceedingly long description of characters we haven't met yet was any indication, this is going a long way. Thank you very much for your support.


	11. Brace Yourself

I do not own the Negima

Author's Note: I've opted not to work the Redone version of Demon of Mahora in. I tried, i gave it a shot but seems so awkward to do it this far in. Enjoy.

/\/\/\

The cell was dark, nothing could be seen save for a diminutive square of light shining in the padded room from the reinforced glass. In the square a corner of a stain from Bishop's saliva was outlined in grey. Outside, screams, maniacal laughter, clanking of chains, straight jackets, and keys.

The door opened with the tell tale sound of dead bolts retracting. Bishop didn't react as the chamber shined with the incoming light.

"Someone's here to see you Mr. Bishop." Called the deep and strong voice of an asylum orderly.

Still no reaction, the "hospital" kept him so drugged up, he had no idea anything existed beyond the few feet of padded fabric he layed on.

Next thing he knew, he was hoisted into the air and being escorted down the main hall of the institution. The rest is a blur of hallucinations, screams, and jerks at the hands of the orderly.

He was set down in an uncomfortable metal chair. Across a matching metal table sat a younger, yet absolutely similar, Ethan Demandepace. He opened up a dossier as Bishop sat limp, using all effort and energy to keep himself from drooling. "Why don't you guys have a smoke? I can handle this guy." He said to the orderlys.

"Sorry sir, this patient has been deemed a level 3 security threat. We can't leave you with him."

"Look at this guy." He said, irritated. "He's so doped up he can't move."

The two orderlys looked at each other for a moment. "He is pretty fucked up." One said. shaking his head at the mess of short, untidy black hair, greasy unwashed skin, and unkempt 5 o' clock shadow.

"Fuck it." Said the other. "We'll be back in 5 minutes."

As the orderlys walked out, Ethan reached in the sleeve of his dark grey flannel suit, and retrieved a blue pill the size of ones pinky nail. "Take that. It should counteract the sedatives."

Bishop understood just enough to know he wanted it. He fell forward on the table with a bang, and clumsily maneuvered his face up to the drug. He inhaled it into his mouth and swallowed it.

"You're about to get the nastiest heartburn you've ever had so stay with me." He paused as his chest began to burn in chemical agony. Ethan began reading the dossier. "Jason Nicholas Bishop. Age 29. Born Chicago Illinois February 23rd 1954. Joined the Marine Corps at age 17 shortly after the death of your father Nikolas Patrick Bishop. Ran black ops in Vietnam for 7 years before retiring and marrying French Chef, Bridgette Antione Sabatier. Is that fair to say Jason?"

The drug had just ran it's course, and Bishop was awake again. "Who wants to know?" He said, cynically.

"Someone who knows about your skill set, and knows equally well that it's not doing any good in here." He began to stand up. "Let's get you out of that jacket." He loosened the restraints and Bishop shook his hands out of the sleeves.

"Yeah, i'd say that's about accurate."

Ethan continued in the dossier. "Settled down in Los Angeles 5 years ago, joined LAPD as a detective. Had a daughter Marie" (Pronounced Merry)

"Marie." (Pronounced Muh-Ree) He was quick to correct.

"Both Marie and Bridgette were lost just a few months ago." He paused. "I read the police report Bishop. That's... unfortunate."

He pounded his fist on the table. "Fortune has nothing to do with a sniper killing your wife and daughter from across the street!" Ethan glared back at him. Bishop reluctantly sat back down and listened, he knew he could gain something if he kept his cool.

Ethan looked at the file again. "A smoker?" He shrugged a bit and retrieved a single cigarette from his inside jacket pocket. He slid the cigarette across the table into Bishop's waiting hands.

"Got a light?" He asked, putting it to his lips.

Ethan leaned over. "Ever think about getting back into the business of professional murder?"

"Every fuckin' day."

Ethan extended his arm and snapped his fingers. On the end of his index finger a small flame sparked to life, and ignited the tobacco.

Bishop was too stunned to smoke. "What the fuck was that?"

"Magic. I'd like to tell you more, but our time is almost up." He pulled a silenced Colt 1911 from his suit and set it on the table. He began to stand up, but leaned down by Bishop. "If you're content rotting in this prison for the rest of your life then just let the orderlys push you around and confiscate that gun. If you're not, then there's a blue and white Chevelle in the parking lot, passenger side door is unlocked. Just remember what war is like, and prepare to face it ten fold."

Ethan left. Bishop was finishing his cigarette as the orderlys returned. "Is that a cigarette? How'd you get that? Wha- How'd you get out of your jacket?" He grabbed Bishop's shoulder.

Several minutes later, Bishop entered Ethan's car. "Where to?" He asked.

"I'll brief you after we get some equipment. I know some people."

**Bishop has joined the party!**

**End Flashback**

/\/\/\

It was the first weekend back from Kyoto, and after a few hectic days Brent was lazing around in his rooftop home. While he wasn't physically tired, the Kyoto trip had been very eventful, during which time him and his allies had saved Konoka from kidnapping and subsequent ritualistic death, defeated an ancient evil which threatened the Eastern Magical Society, faced assassination, survived assassination, and joined forces with a powerful demon hunting assassin.

The television sat across from him in the darkened room, quietly spitting the news and flickering in unnatural colors. "Ugh I hate TV." Groaned Brent to himself. "I think I liked it better when all we had were radios." Ethan suddenly entered through the previously locked door. Brent didn't seem bothered. "That was locked for a reason you know."

"Don't lock your doors. Accept all challengers, thats what I say. Now come on. I've got to show you something."

"I'm fine right here."

"C'mon man. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised." He said with rising anxiety.

"I've had enough surprises for now."

Ethan quickly shut off the television and yelled. "Brent! Class 3-A, our classmates, are having a topless mudwrestling tournament _right now_!"

Ethan was used to tracking things at high speed, but the speed with which Brent leapt off the couch and pinned Ethan to the floor was so fast that not even he saw it coming. "WHERE IS THIS PLACE!" He said wide eyed and excited.

"Hiha wagh oi ki-ing" It was difficult to speak with Brent unknowingly wrapping his hands around his neck.

"What? Tell me, tell me, tell me!" Ethan frantically slapped Brent's wrists to submit, but more to let him know what he was doing. "Oh sorry."

Ethan started to cough and sputter as he was finally able to fill his lungs again. "'Sa'right."

"Now, what were you saying?"

"I was only kidding, I just thought it would get your ass off the couch."

Brent frowned, less at the absence of topless mudwrestling, more at the fact that he had been tricked. "Well it backfired because I'm going to go watch TV again."

"No. We're going to climb a mountain and start a bonfire. It'll be fun."

Brent stopped walking. "... Can I invite Kazumi and Ku?"

"I'm inviting Haruna so it'd be weird if you didn't." Ethan grabbed Brent by the collar and pulled him outside of the hut that passed for his house. He pulled him in and pointed towards a rocky mountain in the distance, maybe 3 or 4 miles off. A slate gray peak rising above a lively green forest, silhouetted against an impeccable blue sky. "That's the one I had in mind. Invite anyone you want, I was also going to invite Negi, Asuna, Setsuna, and everyone else who's aware of magic so we can discuss the situation at hand. But that'll only take a few minutes so the rest of the time we can have a big 'ol party. You get snacks and things to that effect. I'll get the people and start stacking wood."

"Do I get to decide anything?" Brent said neutrally.

"No, get used to it." He said in a sarcastic tone that suggested he was surprised the question even came up. When he finished he shoved Brent back through the door and slammed it shut.

/\/\/\

Ethan went back to his room, to grab his phone so he could invite everyone. Without a signal he began to walk out, bound for the surface to find one. As he opened the door, he was met with a man slightly shorter than Ethan wearing white congregation robes. The details in his sash revealed that he was a high ranking scholar. "Lord Demandepace, may I have a word with you?"

Ethan was stunned, it was outside of protocol for a scholar to perform inspections of long time members like him, but without a choice he invited him in. "Sure come on in."

The agent shut the door. "I received an order to come and investigate a possible loyalty case."

"A loyalty case? Who suspects me of heresy?"

"Oh, some apprentice in Kyoto. Nothing too worrying. I just need to ask you a few questions and then we can all move on." He said casually. He walked further into the room leaving Ethan between him and the door. The agent turned around. "Ethan, we were given to understand that you were going to attempt to bring in several high value targets for their bounties yesterday. Correct?"

"Yes."

"Then why did you see fit to come here to Mahora?" He said, becoming more aggressive.

"I wasn't prepared. Or rather, they _were_ prepared for my arrival and-"

"Wasn't prepared? Sir, you're a master slayer, to say you were inadequately prepared is ludicrous." He said, throughly disappointed.

"I know. They anticipated my arrival and-"

"Sir, i know for a fact that you were instrumental in the resolution of the Great War. You are beyond any doubt familiar with techniques in overt combat."

Ethan glared for a moment. He hated being cut off. "At any rate, the targets fled with their lives to this campus."

The agent stared, utterly stunned by what Ethan had to say. He then cleared his throat and fixed his posture that had subconsciously slouched as he was repeatedly disappointed in Ethan's alibi. " I've heard enough." He began. "It's obvious to me that for whatever reason you are in no condition to be undertaking such a prestigious mission. The total removal of dragons from Earth cannot be entrusted to so one who so mindlessly allows his quarry to evade him." He slowly made for the door. "I'm going to the congregation mission to let them know of your poor performance."

"I'm in pursuit of the targets!" Ethan yelled.

The agent made his way toward the door. "And what then? Let them slip away again? I won't take that chance. I'm having a full master platoon sent here to clean up your mess. When they arrive i expect you to tell them everything you know." Overwhelmed, as the agent passed Ethan, he lurched out with his hand and grabbed the agent by his coat. He looked down at Ethan's hand and back up. "Take your damn hand off me." He growled.

At that moment Ethan lost control. "You can't threaten me. I'm centuries ahead of you." He lifted his knee and clocked him in the stomach. As the agent doubled over in pain, Ethan laced his fingers and slammed down on the back of the agents neck. It took a moment to realize what he had done. That man now had evidence of Ethan's treachery, if he made it back to the congregation, they would kill him, Brent, Falco, Averus, and anyone else who knew about him. As fast as he could he ran to his coat rack to get a cinqedia from his robes. As he yanked it free from the leather scabbard, he heard the door open and frantic foot steps up the stairs. He took a few steps after him, but realizing the obvious suspicion aroused by chasing a man with a knife, he threw on his robes to conceal his identity.

Ethan chased the sounds of footsteps through the halls of the dorm building for about ten seconds before the hands of the scholar slammed against the front door and he made an inhuman sprint across one of the main courtyards. Being an agent with even the most basic training made the scholar very quick. With just a few seconds head start he got much further ahead. But Ethan being both a master scholar and a master warrior was much faster, and he used this straight sprint to recover the lost distance. Realizing he was being caught up to, he broke to his right toward the sports field that was currently being used for practice by various athletic clubs.

The track club, doing laps, stopped dead as the two ran across the field faster than they could dream was possible. A La Cross game was interrupted, and the ball ricocheted off of the scholars head, still running unphased.

Finally, the cheerleaders abruptly ended the routine they were practicing, as the scholar accidentally shoved Sakurako, seconds later Ethan smoothly slid through the center of the group, creating a gust of wind that briefly lifted their skirts.

They continued to run towards the administrative building. Cornered, the scholar shoved his way through the door. Ethan knew following him was risky. The administration allowed congregation agents to operate at the campus because they were obligated to protect it and keep a low profile, and making a mess of the administration offices was not the best way to do that.

Directly in front of the double glass doors were a set of stairs that slip at the second floor and led the the third. He darted up them pushing aside people, sending stacks of papers flying. On the fourth floor he ran down the hall leading left. He followed him to the end of the hall and turned the corner leading right. An office door sounded as it burst open with a shove, about a second later the window shattered open. A moment after, Ethan ran in and leapt over the wooden desk, out the window all at once. He rolled to a stable position on his knee.

The scholar was nowhere to be seen, but he heard the sound of metallic bangs from behind him. As he looked over his shoulder, he saw his target climbing a gutter adjacent to the window to the roof. Ethan turned and jumped to the third floor window, and pulled himself from there to sixth floor, and then it was just a short skip to the roof of the six story building. The scholar had gotten some considerable distance ahead. Ethan followed as fast as he can and was gaining speed quickly.

Just as he was right on the scholars tail, they had come full circle back to the dorms. The scholar made a last faithful spring, which just happened to see him landing on top of Brent's rooftop shack, although neither realized it at the time. The scholar rolled off the roof and smoothly to the ground. Ethan jumped further and landed right on top of the scholar as he was readying to start running again.

**Inside**

Brent was cataloging a selection of game fuel, jerky, potato chips, and burger patties he intended to cook. He was excited for the party that night, especially spending more time with Kazumi and Ku.

The roof buckled and rattled once, and then again. Briskly he went outside to investigate.

**Outside**

Brent slammed the door open. Just in time to watch as Ethan rolled the scholar onto his stomach, and struggle. He inhaled sharply and began to scream no, before he plunged the dagger into the small of the scholars back, silencing him.

Brent recognized the robes of the two people from the ones Ethan wore, but didn't know for sure if it was the agent he was familiar with. He assumed a fighting stance. "Who are you?" He asked firmly.

Ethan stood up and pulled back his hood, and stared, piecing together the evidence that would provide insight into the situation he was pressed into.

Brent jogged over when he recognized him and promptly posed his next question. "What the _hell_ was that?"

"Parties off Brent." He gasped. "They thought something was up, and they sent this guy to investigate." He said pointing to the still bleeding corpse. "We need to dispose of the body, get a plan together and lay low. With any luck, they won't send anyone else, but we need to avoid drawing attention."

/\/\/\

Ethan rolled the cadaver into a tarp and buried it properly around the foot of the mountain they intended to camp out on, while Brent mopped up blood. Nobody else knew about the party, so their only remaining responsibility was to shut their mouths.


	12. Truth is

I dot own Negima.

Took me long enough, that's for sure. Also, not being entirely clear on Brent's abilities, i'm going to improvise, bearing in mind his basic style and skill level. I'll try to keep it close.

/\/\/\

Ethan was investigating a 'reliable' tip from a heroine addict, a tip that would supposedly lead him to "Black Hood" the legendary vigilante assassin of the United Kingdom. He was told that a high profile cocaine dealer was next on his hit list. He was going to stalk the dealer until Black Hood made his move.

The addict was kind enough to provide an address when coaxed at knife point. The address was a relatively large flat toward the outside of southern Nottingham. He walked down the street in an ordinary white shirt, black pants, and black coat, which left his weapons limited to his cinquedias and the partisan he could summon. As he approached the flat it became obvious that the place was brimming with armed guards, apparently visible through the windows. 'Amateurs' Ethan thought.

He reached into the coat for his blades, but just as he placed his hands on the leather cords of the handle, an older man in a black turtleneck sweater with white, pulled back hair sprinted across the street, pulled a ski mask over his face, drew an antique revolver and kicked in the door.

Ethan stood, jaw agape. He quickly examined the street and thanked god that it was deserted. With that, he drew his blades and ran to the door of the house, from which 4 gunshots and the fleshy thuds of incredibly powerful punches could be heard. He was rudely greeted by a thug in a suit with a shotgun, who quickly fell to an instant movement spell and his swords. He slowly moved through the comfortably furnished house, examining drugs and dead thugs strewn about. Thugs, who had been dispatched with almost no struggle.

At the back of the flat was an office, from which the last of the altercation was heard, before silence. Ethan slowly opened the door that was still slightly cracked. As he did, he saw a beaten and bruised man in a navy blue suit with duct tape over his mouth being held as a hostage by the man in the mask and sweater, with his revolver aimed through the drug dealers head and at Ethan's. Just as Ethan came into view of the man, he fired, sending a cloud on bone, brain, and blood hiding a single high caliber bullet, towards Ethan. He twisted and dodged right, but the man in black already had the initiative and was charging at Ethan with his last round. He lunged the barrel closer to Ethan and pulled the trigger, but he batted it away just as the muzzle flashed and kicked the man off his feet. He flipped over backwards smoothly, landing crouched on his feet and punched Ethan in the stomach. He knew immediately that it was loaded with ki as he was forced backwards and had the air forced out of his lungs. His back hit the ground and he rolled back to his feet. The man in black charged again, this time Ethan jabbed at his face, he ducked, allowing Ethan to throw a powerful uppercut, that threw the man in black into the top of the door frame, and crashing to ground. As he tried getting back to his feet, he stepped on the small of his back, and yanked the ski mask off.

"Who are you?" Came a restricted, withered, Scottish voice.

"You first." Ethan said, sternly.

He sighed, "My name's Blackwood. Malcolm Blackwood."

Ethan was mildly surprised. "Black... WOOD?"

"Yes, why?" He asked, with a confused tone.

"Nothing." He responded, mentally chuckling. "That was some impressive fighting. How long have you been doing magic?"

"Long time. You?"

"Longer."

"Doubt it, you look like you're about 16 years old."

"Looks like it doesn't it? I've looked like this since you were still sperm."

Blackwood looked surprised before gaining an accepting look. "I've heard stranger."

"So you're part of the magical community?"

"I'm aware of it, but I'm just not much of a people person."

Without a grounding in the magical world, he needed another way to convince Blackwood to join him. "What about money? You must get quite a few goodies coming to these houses and busting in drug dealer's skulls."

"I've never taken anything that wasn't mine."

"You just do what you think is the right thing?"

"What _is_ the right thing."

Ethan thought for a moment. "I'm going to take my foot off you. Are you going to run?"

"I find myself intigued, so no. I'd rather listen." He removed his boots from Blackwood's shoulders, he stood up and looked Ethan in the eyes sternly and confidently.

He extended his hand. "I'm Ethan Demandepace." Blackwood shook his hand. "There's a whole world you've never heard of, Malcolm. That world's at war. I want to end that war. Does that interest you?"

He thought for a minute. "Actually, yes."

"Will you fight with me?"

"I want to know more. Buy a me a lager or two, and I'll be all the more attentive."

**Malcolm Blackwood has joined the party!**

/\/\/\

"Well, you're the expert." Brent said, worried. "What's going to happen now?"

The two were inside Brent's room, nervously examining their situation. Ethan had killed one of his brothers, completing his treachery.

"It won't be long before a strike team is sent to investigate why that scholar never returned from his mission. I, already being a suspect, will be detained here. While they look for the body. Then they'll kill everyone involved, lock down the campus, find you and your brothers, kill you, and brainwash everyone here."

"Then we need to make sure they don't find the body."

"Oh they will." Ethan said, shaking his head pessimistically.

"How?"

Ethan pulled a crystal pendant from a loop on his belt. "Every agent carries one of these. It's a fantastic little gadget that can transmit simple messages, track agent positions, and, if necessary, look into the last moments of a dead agent." Ethan put the pendant away. "I need to get rid of mine. His too." He said, as if looking into the very face of impending doom. "We're wanted men. You, Me, Averus, Falco. The congregation has us marked, and if they get to us, they'll kill us and the students..." He looked grimly toward Brent, who watched like a child being told a ghost story. "They'd be fair game too."

Brent snapped out of it, looking furious. "Unacceptable. Absolutely not." He stood up and clenched his fists. "I won't lose anyone else. I've spent my whole life training to protect the ones I love. This is that moment." His rage subsided as he spoke those last words. It shifted, to an even, determined look with a tone of voice to match. His fists remained clenched, but no longer in anger. "You're the expert, so you tell me." Ethan looked up. "How do we beat them?"

Ethan seemed dejected. "It's just math Brent, there's 4 of us. A few thousand of them."

"Don't give me that!" He said, his demonic voice barely surfacing, giving his voice gravely emphasis. "Averus said you were at Aurelia. I know about Aurelia. The honor guard. You're supposed to the best of the congregation."

Ethan hesitated, and stammered when he spoke. "I. WAS. ONE. Of the best. They've definitely filled out their ranks with new masters by now. We would need help, and that means subverting congregation agents."

"So?"

Ethan seemed annoyed, like he was explaining what was already common knowledge. "So, you can't subvert a congregation agent. I joined because my family was killed, I had nothing. Even among those zealots I was the worst, most brainwashed psycho ever to leave the fortress."

"Then it'll be easy." Brent confidently folded his arms.

"Did you hear a word I just said?"

"You said you were the worst, and you came around didn't you?" Ethan's head snapped up from its resting position on his hands. "Besides, you said your life was mine." He quietly amused himself thinking that Averus's captured spirits didn't have anything on Ethan. "If we topple the congregation and save the class, we'll be even."

He thought for a moment. Stroking the slight stubble on his chin thoughtfully. "We'll need help. Only the best though."

Brent thought. "I know a few people."

"Let's make some calls."

/\/\/\

A.N. Not detailing every call. Just heads up.

**Puget Sound, Washington State 3:03AM**

Were it not for the rural night, obscuring every detail, the view from the house would be stunning. It was a two story log cabin, on an island only a few hundred feet across in any direction, connected by a wooden bridge, one lane wide to mainland. The mountains on every side of that lake on which it sat, adorned with lush green forest that sat untouched for as long as there was time, and broke only to frame the brilliant orange sunset against the infinite ocean a few hours prior.

Inside however, someone very special was meeting the rudest awakening he'd been pressed to know.

The old phone on the nightstand, clattered with a real metal bell and hammer, begging the man in bed to answer. He responded by picking up the receiver and slamming it down with all the force in his bulging arms.

Ethan looked at his phone and nostalgically thought how typical it was of that man. He called again.

The ringing filled the room. This time he brought the receiver to his ear. "Who the hell is this and why should I care?" The aging, but strong voice inquired.

"Bishop? It's Ethan."

"Ethan..." He paused to see the time. "3am. I take it it's important."

"It is." He stated uncharacteristically flat. "How soon can you be in Japan?"

"I could be there in a day. This time tomorrow. Should I bring anything?"

"Everything."

He was surprised. Ethan was normally much more professional when came to mercenary work. The fact that he would be so vague troubled him. Even so, they were nothing if not brothers in arms and he trusted his judgment, so he went downstairs and gathered his gear.

/\/\/\

The "gear" that Ethan and Bishop had in mind warranted commissioning a private flight. No airline in their right mind would allow such military hardware on their plane. Bishop had an air of experience around him that was unmistakable. He stood tall, confidently, and seemed to hold authority in any situation. His hair was cut short, graying on the sides. His upper body and arms bulged with hard muscle, adding to the authority he projected. For now, he wore aviator shades, classic jeans, and and tan leather jacket over an ordinary white t-shirt. The whole airfield seemed quiet and submissive as he surveyed the runways, waiting for his flight.

It didn't take long before the leer jet taxied to him, bowing its stairs for him to ascend. Before he did so, a squad greeted him warmly and took his bags onto the plane. One particularly chipper female attendant stood in front of him and bowed slightly.

"Hello Mr. Bishop. I'll be your personal attendant for the duration of the flight. It is my job to make sure every aspect of the flight is to your liking. Please note that the Gulfstream IV is equipped with a full kitchen and bar to prepare anything you may want. Is there anything you would like prepared now?"

Bishop was considered by the company to be a 'Class A' customer. His years working as a mercenary had endowed him with the wealth to travel anywhere in such luxury for the rest of his life, but he had always been content to avoid interaction where he could, causing him to buy the land and roads surrounding his house, to avoid any such contact.

"Bourbon on the rocks and a medium rare porterhouse steak please." He began moving towards the plane at his own pace, after the flight attendant who seemed as though it was her sole mission in life to serve this flight.

By the end of the flight, in his usual habits, had spent almost $3000 on fine cigars and Scotch. He had smoked and drank for most of his life. Since he was 16 he would sneak away with his fathers beer, liquor, and cigarettes after he passed out drunk before the TV. His reliance only deepened when he ran off to join the last years of the Vietnam War. He came from a hard life, scars that remained sore even 30 odd years later. Scars that left him with little desire to indulge in the material fantasies of most people, what he didn't spend on himself he often donated to charity, anonymously no less.

/\/\/\

The landing in Tokyo was uneventful. Predictably, he was catered to every step of the way. It didn't let up even as he left Tokyo International Airport. Stepping into the rain, a black limousine was waiting with a driver holding a sign with his name on it. Bishop walked over, and handed his bags to the man after he opened the door for Bishop. He made himself comfortable in the back seat and heard the voice of an old Scottish gentleman. "Bang." He said simply, already having drawn his antique revolver from under the white noise of the seat as Bishop sat down. "You're dead."

Bishop knew that voice without a moments thought. He had come to associate that voice with contempt. Not for the man who bore it, but himself. The bearer of that voice was a stern and rigid man, one who had solidified himself in Bishop's mind, for reasons he didn't know at the time and on to that day. Like a teacher who concerned himself not for the regard of his students, but for their well being. "Nice to see you too, Malcolm." He put the revolver away without moving his head from behind his newspaper. "I didn't know you learned japanese."

Malcolm threw the papers to his side haphazardly. "I didn't."

"Did Ethan tell you why he's rounding up the gang?" He said casually. Malcolm was old, clearly. His eyes were wrinkled at the corners and his skin had taken a very thin and pallid appearance. Yet, an air of youth remained around him. His skin was oddly taunt, and he dressed in away not befitting his supposed age. He wore a black turtleneck, with utility belts covered in dull rings and studs running from his waist, up around his shoulders like suspenders. Black slacks, black leather shoes, and round black sunglasses complimented his pure white hair, styled back and falling to one side.

"Rounding up the gang? It's just us here." He said quizzically.

Malcolm scoffed. "We're all that's left, mate."

Bishop seemed in disbelief, but not shocked. The way his teammates lived their lives, he didn't expect many would still be alive. "Just us three?" His tone was that of concern.

"As far as I know." He said sighing. His head then tilted to one side as if recalling what was next. "Cautio had a nervous breakdown. Rebecca, Akanar, and Peter are dead. Tanaka refused to join us. Nikki, Lukas, Mendoza, and Gerard are all missing."

Bishop looked at the ground. "That's a damn shame."

"It's criminal. We fought just as hard as them, but Tanaka just couldn't be bothered, and everyone made themselves scarce, I bet just to avoid being called upon again."

"Don't talk about them like that." Bishop snapped, very seriously.

"Oh please, we're all friends now?" Malcolm said sarcastically. Throwing his head to one side and picking the paper back up. "You didn't even like Mendoza."

"We were still comrades."

He scoffed. "Heh. Comrades. You used to call him that. In a derogatory way of course. You'd keep us all awake at night with your infantile bickering. Going on about the Cold War escalating and who'd win. Like children bragging about who's parents could beat who's. _My dad could beat up your dad._" He said, mockingly. "But hey, You're American, he's Russian, why not argue?"

Bishop sat back, ending the argument. Nothing Malcolm said was untrue.

/\/\/\

Brent stood atop the clock tower, surveying the campus as he did. That night however, Ethan joined him, making rounds about the entire complex, unable sleep as he knew the congregation would be here soon.

Brent stood coldly, soaking the the bone in the downpour, even beneath his robes and armors. The newly acquired light blue nodachi was secured to his back. Ethan, only in a black tee shirt, jeans, and a ski cap, all waterlogged and cold. He wore his chinese sword on his hip and both daggers on his lower back.

Ethan leapt from the building below the tower, a good 50 feet, and landed silently, hidden by the sound of the rain and distant thunder.

"Do you see anything?"

Brent was mildly irritated. He had come back with that same question every 15 minutes or so. "No, Ethan. Still nothing."

"Remember to keep an eye on the dorms, they may come for the students."

"They'd be so ruthless?"

"Only if they _know_ I killed that scholar. If not, expect a small group."

Ethan leapt away again, tirelessly sprinting and jumping from rooftop to rooftop, quietly falling from his perches into places he thought they may hide.

After he was out of sight, Brent reassumed his silent guard duties. He became aware of someone behind him, he turned and began to assume a stance. Before he was ready, a downward sword slash left a massive gash across his chest, followed by a hard punch to the face that sent him flying off the tower, head first. Blood seeped from the remarkably straight and clean incision, and cloth cut from his robes fell heavily to the ground with a splat. As he fell, an arrow came at super high speed toward him, he twisted just in time to avoid being hit in his heart, and was instead hit in side, puncturing a lung. He hit the ground on one hand and one knee, clutching his side. As he saw the faint moonlit glint of another arrow, he phased into the shadow realm, leaving the first arrow to fall to the ground pathetically as its anchor disappeared by magic.

He returned in the shadow of another building, across the courtyard from the clocktower. He looked diligently for his attackers. First he saw the man on the tower. His face was obscured under a loosely drawn hood, but the opening at the front of his cloak, showed a multitude of daggers, gleaming menacingly, like the blood dripping from the tip of his shamshir that had left Brent with a memory on his chest. He next saw the archer, on the fire escape directly above him, he froze. In the shadows he could see a banishing pin on his wrist, he did not wear a cloak, instead simple, gray, leather pants, a pair of nun chucks on his thigh, and a quiver on his back. He was very muscular, but lean and agile seeming.

/\/\/\

As Ethan landed from his jump, a bo staff cracked him in the stomach from the back side of a chimney structure. He was spun into the side of it and was now pinned between it and the bo. The agent wielding it stepped out. She was short, with brown hair in a short braid, and a congregation cloak too big for her, obscuring all as the loose sleeves hid even her hands as they draped over the staff. She pulled back and began spinning both herself and the bo intricately, winding up for a sweeping attack. Ethan saw it and jumped, flipping backwards onto the top of the chimney that was about his height. As he looked back at her, she swung, destroying a sizable chunk of the bricks. He pounced onto her with the pin, but she rolled back and kicked him off. She kipped backwards onto his chest and slammed the bo edge on towards Ethans face. In time, he pulled the dagger from his sheath and held it flat at both ends to block the strike. He pushed back and threw his legs into the air, wrapping them around her narrow hips. He pulled her onto her back and stabbed hard in center of the chest. She showed a flash of pain, and then became serene.

/\/\/\

Brent quietly and quickly bounced off the wall in the alley, and jumped toward the agent. He grasped the bow by one end and faithfully swung toward Brent. He phased into shadows again and was now standing behind the archer. Still rapidly, he pulled the nunchucks off of his thigh and started making powerful swings, whistling with the high speed of the handles. A few hit Brent in the face, but the impact was not strong enough to hurt him severely, just a bit of bleeding. Through the flurry of blows, Brent caught hold of the hand that swung the nunchucks. He twisted it, bending the agent forward, and kicked him hard in the stomach. He then brought his elbow down on the back of his neck, breaking it and sending him through the grating of the fire escape to the ground.

/\/\/\

Ethan stood up and drew his sword, waiting for the inevitable next opponent, drawn by the noise.

As predicted, 3 others came. One on his left, huge muscles, at least 8 feet tall, vaulting over the side of the building to the roof, brandishing a hammer as massive as him. His clothes consisted of tattered brown shorts, and a long tattered scarf of the same color wrapping several times around his neck and up around his head life a hood. The next fell from the sky, presumably from a massive jump. He had long light blue hair, and a red congregation cloak. His sash distinguished him as a master slayer. The last was tiny. 5 feet tall, scawny, completely shrouded by his dark yellow cloak. A series of about 15 charms and runes hovered and swarmed around him. The group stared for a moment. Ethan broke the stalemate by leaping into the air a short distance and demonstrating his skill and agility with a flashy display of spins, kicks, slashes, and stabs. He finished in a mantis stance, finalized by stomping his foot on the ground and holding the sword in behind him vertically. He stared as coldly and unflinchingly as a sheer mountain face.

The mage in the center spoke. "I've never suspected an agent of the brotherhood of treachery. And nobody suspected you, the great lord Echo." Ethan just stared back. "What do you hope to gain? What can you acquire that hasn't already been granted? You are a disgrace to your title." Still, he stared, the rain pouring in sheets down on his head. The mage looked at him with pure hatred. "Say something."

"I have nothing to say to someone like you." He said clearly and evenly, not wishing to repeat himself.

He stomped his foot forward. "Someone like me? Watch your step, Ethan. Remember, you were one of us."

"Once. But I can't shut my eyes to reason anymore. I can't sit back as more innocents are harmed. I've taken a new oath. One to protect this demon I was sent to kill."

"Conspiring with the **DEMONS?" **He hollered. "You've sunk so low."

"Sunk? No. I've reached a level no one else in the congregation has. I'm the strongest agent in the brotherhood, and now, my eyes are open to the lies that still tie you to your shepard. You will never reach my level, not if you fight me here."

"Arrogant bastard! You're outnumber a hundred to one! You'll die here!" With that, he charged towards Ethan, conjuring fire in one hand and lightning in the other. Tendrils of flame broke away and dissipated behind him, and lightning arced towards the ground in random bolts as he ran up at massive speed. He raised his hand, arcing the lightning towards Ethan.

Just before he was in striking distance, Ethan jammed his sword into the ground, and drew the banishing pin to attract the lightning. When he was in arms length, Ethan grasped the hand that held fire and with little resistance, twisted it forward, and thrust the pin into the agents chest. He coughed up a healthy portion of blood before being lifted into the air atop Ethan's fist, dead instantly. The other two looked in horror, a master slayer killed so easily, his better supporting him like an umbrella, trading rain for blood that ran down his arm, turning it red. Ethan threw the body hard at the ground, landing at the feet of the larger opponent. He used the chance to charge at the artifacer in yellow.

/\/\/\

Brent looked over his shoulder to see the agent on the tower. He stood just as ominously as he did the moment before. Staring, as if all knowing and all powerful. Stoic, as if quietly drinking what knowledge he could of his opponent.

Brent stepped off of the fire escape and easily landed from the 15 foot drop before walking to the center of the courtyard. The agent mimicked and stepped down from the clock tower, his decent slowing as he neared the ground. He walked toward Brent with the moon at his back, silhouetting himself and obscuring his features. Only the cloak and the shamshir was visible.

The two stopped about 10 feet from each other. Brent stared the man in the face. "Why have you come?"

The man didn't move for a few seconds before pulling the hood off of his head. His hair was long and gray, falling back an unknown length into his cloak that took until now to notice it was black. His face was blemished with scars that Brent recognized. Werewolves, poltergeists, demonic blades, and lastly and most perplexing, dragons. "Don't play dumb."

He drew his sword, but didn't enter a stance. "You'll never take me or Ethan. Together we can't be beat."

"Untrue. And moreover, you're alone. What you forget is that I'm a trained demon hunter. You are a demon. And Ethan is alone, standing against at least 20 men of his own rank."

"That man I crushed was a trained demon hunter too. I've fought hundreds of self proclaimed demon hunters. As you can see, they've never beaten me." Through all this, Brent was recalling everytime an attempt had been made on his life by someone like that. Particularly the techniques they used, and the way he beat them.

He smiled. "Ahhh, but they were nothing like me, and him... well he was just a puppy, too ambitious for his own good. I promise, nobody else here is going to fall as easily as him."

/\/\/\

Ethan brought the sword down on the artifacer and tried to rend him in half. A magical barrier slowed his sword to a stop. As it happened, the man made a few signs with his right hand and a rune was drawn towards Ethan's face. When it made it there, it projected a column of energy and punched him backwards, where the huge agent waited for the proverbial pitch, holding his hammer like a bat. He used his sword to deflect and absorb the blow in such a way that he went flying straight up, mostly unhurt. In the air, the artifacer commanded 4 other runes to open rifts, and arrows, swords, spears, and anything generally sharp towards him. Ethan used more Ki to send himself downward, hard on top of the hammer wielding brute.

In a smooth swing of the sword and a flash of crimson, the man was cut almost in half, and Ethan stared back at the artifacer, again awestruck. After a moment of stand off, the portals let loose another torrent of generally unpleasant things, but Ethan let the mans body adsorb most of the flurry.

/\/\/\

Brent got into a low stance and held the sword with both hands. "Leave my friends out of this." He said seriously.

He looked slightly angry. "I haven't been told to kill them. And I won't take it upon myself to. Do you think I'm a monster? Like you?" He finished with a sneering grin.

Brent charged forward and faked him out with an overhand strike before coming in horizontally with the nodachi.

The agent simply blocked the strike with his shamshir, lifted his elbow with unprecedented force, and hit Brent in the chin. He was forced back and stumbled and regained composure just in time to see the shamshir slice towards his chest again. The heavier nodachi made it easy to block his strikes, powerful as they were. The agent moved too fast for Brent to counter attack, and he knew that if this continued he would be tired out or ambushed by someone else. He had to break the stalemate.

/\/\/\

Ethan kept his grip on the body and charged into the maelstrom. It didn't end until he was in striking distance and the man was forced to change the strategy. The torrent ended and Ethan tossed the body aside, then grabbing the agent by the shoulder and running him through. The runes and artifacts fell from their magical suspension and clattered to the ground, some breaking. Ethan let him fall and put his sword away.

He looked down at the bodies. Two men he would have called brother. Now dead at his feet. He thought again of the choice he made to abandon his service to the congregation, and felt strong doubt. The thought was set aside as he thought of why he left. His head looked to the courtyard. "Brent..." He ran off as fast as his feet could carry him.

/\/\/\

The duel continued with nobody gaining any significant ground. Brent kept backing up while blocking the swift jabs and slashes of the sword. The Agent pressing forward looking for an opening which Brent never gave. The courtyard however, meant he wasn't getting cornered anytime soon. Ethan ran to the edge of the roof and looked to where the sound of clashing swords could be heard. He couldn't pick out the name or face of the man Brent was tangled with, but he did know the black robe meant he was a veteran of at least a millennium of service. Beyond even that, he could see on the surrounding rooftops, and on ledges around the courtyard, many other agents of high ranks were watching the performance of two master swordsmen. He needed help.

/\/\/\

A knock on the door awoke Mana Tatsumiya from an otherwise restful slumber. Being the disciplined sort of person that she was, she shook off the hazy remnants of sleep quickly, she answered the door after the second set of knocks, as they sounded frantic to awaken her, but quiet enough not to disturb the adjacent rooms. She opened the door a crack and peered into the hallway, ready to jump for the nearest weapon if the situation was decidedly less favorable than normal. Ethan stood outside, waterlogged and smelling faintly of sweat, she also noted the vague presence of blood on his arm and shirt sleeves. The door opened a little farther. "Ethan? Is something wrong?" Her foot stepped back a little, again, closer to her weaponry.

"Mana, I'll give you $5000 for your services for the rest of the night." Ethan said quickly and mildly pleading. Her eyes opened further and her eyebrows turned in in a small amount of anger. He blushed a bit. "...That's not what I meant."

"I hope not. Why don't you clarify a bit?" She said, half serious, half teasing.

"We're under attack. I'll explain more later but for now I just need you to get a rifle and a vantage point. I'd even recommend waking Kaede and Ku." He finished quickly and sprinted down the hall. Mana changed out of her Pjs and got a more appropriate coat and pants for the rain before getting a Cheytac Intervention and two Desert Eagles.

/\/\/\

Two agents stood in front of the dorms admiring the technique of the duelists. Friends since their initiation, and always assigned to the same masters until they became slayers only just recently. Their first assignment, to capture or kill Ethan Demandepace. "Do you think the captain's gonna need help? He's old and this demon looks pretty good." The first said.

"Nah. He's probably seen guys just like him before. He's got a plan. I just know it."

He examined the fight a little more closely for a moment. "Wanna bet on it?" He said, starting to smile.

"Sure. How about if we need to intervene, you buy me a... old motorcycle. If he finishes it himself I'll buy you an old bike."

"You're on."

The two kept staring for a moment. From behind, The doors were shoved open with a bang and a sword was drawn from a leather scabbard. As the two turned, Ethan sliced ones throat, and spun into a side kick that sent the other flying into the air.

/\/\/\

The limousine pulled up to the campus. The driver turned around to Malcolm and Jason. "Here we are, gentlemen. Mahora Campus. Will you need any help with your bags? Perhaps an umbrella?"

Malcolm put down the paper. "That's fine. We'll get it from here."

The agent that Ethan has sent flying landed on the hood of the car and bounced off the crumbled front end to the ground beside the car.

The driver cowered and the two in back scrambled outside to asses the situation. The rain poured down as Jason stepped over to the body and crouched down by it. Malcolm stayed back, being even less trusting than Jason who had little to no faith left in the world. The agents eyes opened, causing Jason to stand back up and step back. He kipped to his feet and drew a short sword at the same time. The two drew the sidearms in their coats and shot him in the heart almost simultaneously. Without thinking or speaking, they went to the trunk and yanked it open, breaking the latch that they didn't ask the driver to open. Jason took a SCAR-H assault rifle and a few extra magazines. Malcolm, a Lee Enfield rifle and a handful of shells for both his pistol and his rifle, putting both in separate pockets.

Still, in near-perfect sync they ran on towards the school to help Ethan, knowing he was in trouble. As they ran by the driver side door, Malcolm stated simply. "Don't leave with our bags."

/\/\/\

Ethan ran towards the duel, still undetected under all the noise of clashing swords. He put his sword away and summoned his partisan. The deep red glow communicated his presence and the black robed agent drew a dagger from beneath his cloak and threw it. Ethan dodged easily and it went on to embed itself in the concrete all the way to the hilt. The next moment, he was swinging the partisan wildly, just short of Brent, who still stood his ground fearlessly. The man in black quickly lost control of the situation and called for help. "Come on you whelps! Time to stand and fight!" With that, the agents fell from the roof tops and ledges, converging on Brent and Ethan. Before they got too close, ones head exploded in unison with a gunshot, and three others fell to the ground, blood spurting from sudden holes in their bodies. The whole courtyard fell silent and motionless. On the roof above the dorms, Mana ejected the spent cartridge from her rifle. Down the way, Malcom did the same with his rifle, and Bishop kept another agent in his sights. The second explosion of motion inevitably came as the remaining agents split into 3 detachments and pursued Mana, Ethan and Brent, and Malcolm and Bishop. As the first agent crested the rooftop, Kaede tackled him out the air and kicked off of him, back to the roof where she waited for the next one. When two came at once, Mana shot one out the air with the Desert Eagle, while Kaede started to brawl with the other.

4 agents ran in mad sprints towards Bishop and Blackwood. One fell to Bishops rifle on the way, but the other three managed to evade and get in range of the two gunmen. One swung towards Bishop with a wicked curved dagger. Bishop jumped back and deflected the blade with his old Marine kabar, together it was enough to get him out of the way, barely. He dropped the rifle and allowed the sling across his shoulder to support it, and grabbed the pistol to put a round through the agents stomach, then his head. Malcolm got to one knee and placed his rifle on the ground gently, and took two old revolvers from his holsters. He fired two rounds, creating a thick cloud of smoke indicative of old black powder. They both spun on their heels around them, and pressed on. Bishop shot at one again with his rifle, nicking his arm and leg. They split up and went for both Blackwood and Bishop. Blackwood started to fire with the remaining ten rounds in his revolvers, but the agents was quick to dodge them all with a series of rolls and shorts jumps, when one such roll placed him and Malcolms feet, he smoothly got to his feet behind Malcolm and swung with a cutlass towards the base of his neck. Malcolm threw back his elbow and just clipped his nose, but followed up with a series of punches with no particular style or form that the agent couldn't seem to predict and stop. Malcolm stomped on the agents foot, hoping to stun him, but it was useless, the agent just swung his sword again. Malcolm ducked and rammed him in the stomach with his shoulder. As the agent got pushed back, Malcolm jumped back to his rifle and picked it up, the agent was already on his way over, brandishing his cutlass above his head. Malcolm lifted his rifle and fired, putting a stop to that.

The two looked around for the wounded agent, but he had fled. Knowing they had no time to waste, they pressed onward.

/\/\/\

Brent broke away from the fight with the veteran to stop the incoming agents. He ran straight into the six, but another .50 caliber round reduced it to five. Nevertheless, he summoned a portion of his dragon being, his arms burst into flames and turned to sleek black scales, glowing orange like the great fire inside him. His hands too became long and lanky with sharp claws at the ends, giving him all the more ability fight. The first agent drew a banishing pin and lunged. Brent carefully and quickly took his wrist and swung the agent by his hand at the others. He hit one and sent the two flying away. When the next came in with a battleaxe, Brent ducked under the first swing and sunk his red hot claws into his chest. He seized the element of surprise by popping out from behind the dead man and running the next agent through.

Ethan was standing his ground against the veteran, but that worried him. An honor guard slayer should be able to stay a step ahead of his opponent, but they were unable to read each other. Each move was planned a second before it was made, and every attack was parry to the one before it. They covered every fighting style they ever learned, tae bo, zulu stick fighting, kung fu, and even improvised a few completely original strikes. Nothing was connecting, and both their brains struggled to keep up. Akin to walking a tightrope of razorblades.

/\/\/\

Kaede was now fighting off two agents. Both were being kept back with bruising punches and kicks from the talented ninja. She had already knocked one out with a tornado kick to the chin, he sat limply and precariously on the edge of the roof. Even with the progress that they was making. The congregation force was still outnumbering them.

Mana was doing what she could to change that with the help of her rifle. But the agents below were extremely fast, and would skip from side to side and take a few steps backwards to throw off her aim. She inhaled sharply, shocked as the gravel on the rooftop crunched behind her. She put the rifle down and drew the two Desert Eagles. She reversed her stance and plunged them into the stomach of another agent. He used two rapiers and was readying a thrust, when he got caught with two guns in the gut, he used the off hand sword to deflect one hand, and dropped the tip of the other to do the same. She turned around and slammed the handle and her fist down on his shoulder, forcing him to down to one knee. She crossed the other gun over her wrist, which placed it aiming squarely at his temple. He dropped even further and swept his leg to throw her to the ground and spin up to his feet. He thrust a rapier at her, but as soon as she hit the ground with a hard thud and a wince of pain, she rolled back and kipped to her feet a few feet away. She pointed and shot 6 rounds that didn't hit. He got up close and swung the rapier that left a thin and straight slice near her neck, and another across her ribs. She stumbled and saw as the rapier was speeding towards her. Unable to dodge she moved backwards to try and get beyond his reach. She tripped on the ledge of the roof, and the rapier ran deeply through the top of her chest. Then she watched as she fell and the rapier was pulled out with a squirt of deep red blood.

/\/\/\

A sense of despair flared up in Brent. As if by instinct, he looked up to where he heard the unmistakable sound of a sword drawn from flesh. He looked in horror as Mana fell limply toward the ground, her pistols falling carelessly from her grip. He merged with the shadows he stood upon, and came barreling out of the side of the wall, catching Mana before she hit the ground. He rolled to one knee, cradling her, assessing the injury. She clutched the top of her left breast. From beneath her hand, blood pumped in rhythmic bursts that she was unable to stop. Their eyes met, pleading the other to help, and live. Completely uncharacteristically, she looked afraid. Almost as much as Brent. He helped apply pressure to stop the bleeding.

/\/\/\

The agent wielding his rapiers looked arrogantly down on what he thought was a kill, not knowing his strike too high. His head leveled out as he said to himself. "Where's the other girl?" In a deep cockney accent.

When he turned around, the back of Kaede's feet hit him square in the face with the force to shatter his jaw, dislodge 6 teeth, and crack his skull. None of which mattered as he tumbled to the ground, and broke his neck. She returned to her fight with the other two with a new motivation, agilely guiding her hand through a flurry of blades, knocking one out cold with a palm strike, and disarming the other by sweeping leg up and brushing his swords away. She took a simple stance, as he came to grips with the situation. He jumped up to get his swords out of the air, but she jumped too, and kicked him down to the roof of the building, knocking him out right next to his ally.

Brent heard deep breathing from behind him. The wounded agent was running up with silent footsteps, betrayed by his injuries that taxed his stamina. He predictably brandished a dagger backward over his head. Brent set Mana down, overcome by a vengeful instinct. He opened his mouth and out came a bellow of pure emotion. A roar with no trace of his mostly human appearance, it was pure dragon. Shortly following it was an expanding column of flame that engulfed him. He stopped both his roar and his fiery breath and walked over stoically as the agent tried to put out the flames, extinguishing in the rain. He swiped his claws three times, tearing him apart. He feel down, dead, charred, smoldering, and bleeding. He stared for a moment, after which, he used his claws to take a strip of cloth from his now tattered clothes to from a bandage. In the same burst of flames as before, his arms became human, naked as the cloth was burned away. He knelt down by Mana, and tended to her.

/\/\/\

Ethan stepped back and swung the partisan recklessly like an ax, a swing that was easily dodged, putting the necessary distance between one another to force them to a draw. All at once, Bishop and Blackwood walked up and aimed their rifles at the veteran, Kaede feel from the roof and stood menacingly with a throwing knife between each finger, and Ethan stared with his best evil eye at him.

He looked at the united force presented against him, and relaxed his guard. Indignantly, he looked at Ethan. "You think you've won? You think you've changed anything? This isn't over. Not even close. Traitors like you always get what the deserve."

Ethan looked back, not moving from his stance. "This treachery goes far beyond me, you blind old bastard."

"Then speak their names. Redeem yourself. Come back to the congregation where your talents can be used."

"I'll place my talents where they are needed, and in the doctrine to which we owe everything. The traitors lay in the council that have tossed the doctrine aside and brainwashed us. We're just pawns in a plot to exterminate otherworldly life."

He stared, utterly still for a moment. "We'll be back, Ethan. Someone will answer for these deaths. I promise." He sheathed his sword and fell into ashes. Ashes that seemed to decay further into nothingness.

Ethan recalled the partisan and stood, tired from the fight, mind racing for the next move.

He soon turned around, walking with purpose and direction, making orders like everything he needed to know had been granted to him. "Bishop, Malcolm, clean up any bodies on the ground and take care of any other evidence, the rain will wash away the blood. Brent take Mana to the hospital, not the infirmary, fake name if you have to, make sure nobody at the schools hears about it. Kaede, we're going to clean up the roofs." Nobody else said a word, just complied. Ethan had rarely spoken with such authority and clarity. Somehow, it was agreed that at least this once, he was in charge.


End file.
